By Alexander H.R. No. 9 75R4587 PAN-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, January 27, 1997, marks the 50th birthday of our 1-2 distinguished colleague, the Honorable Robert Junell, and this 1-3 significant millstone (excuse me, I meant to say milestone) 1-4 provides a fitting occasion to review a few of his many 1-5 achievements; and 1-6 WHEREAS, A native of the City of the Sun, "Old El Paso" 1-7 moved to Lubbock at an early age, and it was while living there 1-8 that his devoted parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Junell, first began to 1-9 realize that their beloved son "Rob" might one day be the perfect 1-10 candidate for military school; and 1-11 WHEREAS, A product of the Lubbock public school system, 1-12 Mr. Junell took the New Mexico Military Institute by storm and went 1-13 on to collect additional diplomas from Texas Tech University, the 1-14 University of Arkansas, and the Texas Tech University School of Law 1-15 before finally settling for the card life had dealt him, winding up 1-16 a lawyer in the thriving metropolis of San Angelo; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Along the way, Mr. Junell did manage to pump a 1-18 little excitement into his life; his colleagues in the house are 1-19 seldom surprised to learn how adept this former college football 1-20 player was at handling a pigskin, having seen him pick up the ball 1-21 and run with it every chance he gets as a member of this chamber; 1-22 and 1-23 WHEREAS, Though widely known as a team player, it is perhaps 1-24 less widely known that Mr. Junell was also a talented rodeo team 2-1 roper who, together with his partner, Vic Choate, always knew how 2-2 to cause a sensation and twist a few heads when they entered the 2-3 rodeo arena; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Though he claims to have given up roping steers in 2-5 favor of playing polo, some of his closest friends have privately 2-6 questioned whether he was forced to give up the rodeo circuit when 2-7 his head swelled to a size that could no longer accommodate a 2-8 cowboy hat, based on the glowing accolades he has received as a 2-9 member of this chamber; and 2-10 WHEREAS, In the last session alone, this respected gentleman 2-11 was honored as the Legislator of the Year by the Texas Municipal 2-12 League, touted as one of the "Top Ten Legislators" by Texas Monthly 2-13 magazine, and named one of the Texas House Crime Fighters of the 2-14 Year by the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas; in 2-15 addition, he was named "Best of the Best in the Texas Legislature" 2-16 by the Dallas Morning News and was also recognized for his 2-17 outstanding achievements by the Texas Civil Justice League, the 2-18 Texas Tech University School of Law, the Children's Trust Fund of 2-19 Texas Council, and the Texas Arts Council; and 2-20 WHEREAS, Now in his fifth term as a member of the house, 2-21 Mr. Junell is also held in high esteem by those inside the 2-22 legislative community, and he presently shares his considerable 2-23 insight and expertise with his fellow legislators as chairman of 2-24 the House Appropriations Committee and as a valued member of the 2-25 Select House Committee on Revenue and Public Education Funding and 2-26 the House General Investigating Committee; and 2-27 WHEREAS, A dedicated family man, Mr. Junell is supported in 3-1 all his endeavors by his devoted wife and best friend, Beverly, and 3-2 the Junells are the proud parents of three children, Ryan, Keith 3-3 Elizabeth, and Clay; and 3-4 WHEREAS, Though Mr. Junell has hit the big "Five-0," he 3-5 doesn't appear to have slowed down one bit, and we hope to wring 3-6 plenty more sessions out of this good guy before we let him ride 3-7 off into the sunset; now, therefore, be it 3-8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 3-9 Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Robert Junell on the 3-10 unavoidable occasion of his 50th birthday and extend warmest best 3-11 wishes to him for continued happiness in the golden years of his 3-12 life; and, be it further 3-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-14 prepared for Mr. Junell as a token of commiseration from his many 3-15 friends and colleagues in the Texas House of Representatives.