By Laney                                             H.C.R. No. 324

         75R16845 PAN-D                           

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, It is often said that all good things must come to

 1-2     an end, and so it is with the legislative career of James Nance,

 1-3     for following the close of this regular session, Mr. Nance will

 1-4     ride off into the sunset aboard his trusty 1974 Firebird bound for

 1-5     greater glory; and

 1-6           WHEREAS, Though Mr. Nance has chosen to forsake 30 years of

 1-7     service with the Texas Legislative Council (TLC) to live the life

 1-8     of a gentleman farmer, the legend will no doubt live on for many

 1-9     years to come through the lasting legacy of achievement he leaves

1-10     behind; and

1-11           WHEREAS, Mr. Nance was hired by the council in October 1967

1-12     at a time when a number of his current colleagues were but mere

1-13     twinkles in their fathers' eyes; he has mentored many of those same

1-14     colleagues in every aspect of legislative service, including

1-15     drafting, counseling, and appropriate demeanor and appearance; and

1-16           WHEREAS, Named a senior legislative counsel in 1984, he was

1-17     promoted to the rank of assistant director of the legal division

1-18     two years later, and while many insist that his selection as an

1-19     administrator was based on his prodigious legal acumen, rumors

1-20     continue to persist that it was his delicate handling of an inquiry

1-21     made by an out-of-state university professor that earned him

1-22     permanent placement in the annals of council history; and

1-23           WHEREAS, Now a deputy director of the legal division,

1-24     Mr. Nance has consistently set high standards to which others may

 2-1     aspire; in peak physical condition and an avid runner, this

 2-2     remarkable gentleman has never missed a Capitol 10,000, even going

 2-3     so far as to run the race on one occasion with a stress fracture,

 2-4     and his ability to keep ahead of the frenzied pack bearing down on

 2-5     him has proven quite helpful in his professional life as well,

 2-6     especially this session, as he is widely recognized as one of the

 2-7     foremost tax experts in the state; and

 2-8           WHEREAS, His many close friends on the TLC staff bubble over

 2-9     in discussing what it has meant to them to be taught by the master,

2-10     for, as anyone who has ever been "nanced" can attest, the pen is

2-11     indeed mightier than the sword; equally adept in the art of verbal

2-12     expression, he persuaded two of his younger colleagues to join him

2-13     in baling hay on his farm one hot July afternoon and worked circles

2-14     around them as they unexpectedly shared near-death experiences; and

2-15           WHEREAS, While raising cattle in Bastrop County and Cain in

2-16     the Capitol Complex, Mr. Nance and his charming wife, Norma, have

2-17     also managed to rear a fine family that includes Alicia, Michael,

2-18     Danny, and James Lewis; and

2-19           WHEREAS, Known to blow his own horn on occasion, this

2-20     well-rounded gentleman is quite accomplished on the trumpet and

2-21     banjo, and his musical renderings have caused many a coworker,

2-22     neighbor, stray dog, and coyote to stand up and take notice; less

2-23     widely known, however, is his penchant for picking up lost items

2-24     off the street and perusing junkyards for spare parts, and though

2-25     he claims both habits to be "an extremely worthy use of his time,"

2-26     close friends have privately wondered why he feels a woman's blonde

2-27     wig that hangs in his office may come in handy some day; and

 3-1           WHEREAS, Despite his casual and, at times, perplexing manner,

 3-2     Mr. Nance has a long-standing appreciation of the finer things in

 3-3     life; an Austin Symphony season ticket holder now for many years,

 3-4     he is also a wine connoisseur and gourmet cook who enjoys sharing

 3-5     the fruits of his labors with those who drop by the farm, though if

 3-6     pate is on the menu, one might do best to keep a running count of

 3-7     the number of cows in residence before indulging; and

 3-8           WHEREAS, Like his beloved Astros, Mr. Nance has repeatedly

 3-9     hit the ball out of the park and scored many runs for the home team

3-10     throughout his legendary career; though we have seized the occasion

3-11     of his retirement to poke a little good-natured fun at him, this

3-12     MVP has long been a man on whom all could rely for his loyalty,

3-13     brilliance, and dedication to the state he is proud to call home,

3-14     and he will be deeply missed by the many people who have been

3-15     privileged to work with him through the years; now, therefore, be

3-16     it

3-17           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

3-18     hereby honor James Nance for his exceptional tenure with the Texas

3-19     Legislative Council on the occasion of his retirement and extend to

3-20     him sincere best wishes for great joy and happiness in the years to

3-21     come; and, be it further

3-22           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

3-23     prepared for Mr. Nance as an expression of highest esteem from his

3-24     colleagues in the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.