By Heflin                                              H.R. No. 244

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, On March 2nd, 1997, the Alief Independent School

 1-2     District will dedicate the opening of Howard J. Hicks Elementary

 1-3     School; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, Born on May 15, 1914 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and now

 1-5     a resident of Houston by way of Beaumont, Howard Hicks has spent

 1-6     the first 82 years of his life in dedication to his faith, his

 1-7     family, his country, and his community; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, In each endeavor he has undertaken, be it

 1-9     newspaperman, chamber of commerce executive, bank executive,

1-10     insurance company executive, oil & gas wildcatter, LCS Commander

1-11     for the United States Navy in World War II, tireless worker,

1-12     leader, and in many cases founding member, of various community

1-13     groups, with his most recent active memberships including the Alief

1-14     Noon Lions Club, Alief Community Association, the Alief Cemetery

1-15     Historical Society, chairmanships in both the Alief 130th

1-16     Anniversary and the Alief Post Office 100th Birthday organizations,

1-17     or district aide to Representative Talmadge Heflin, a post he has

1-18     held for the past eleven years, Howard Hicks has always

1-19     distinguished himself as one of the more active and caring

1-20     individuals one could possibly hope to encounter; and

1-21           WHEREAS, Despite his routinely busy schedule, Howard still

 2-1     finds time to be a loving father, a doting grandfather, and a

 2-2     devoted great-grandfather; he rounds out the rest of his schedule

 2-3     by soundly whipping people half his age, and some younger than

 2-4     that, on the golf course, and is a multiple champion of both golf

 2-5     and horseshoes in regional and state competition in the Senior

 2-6     Games; and

 2-7           WHEREAS, For the better part of the past 60 years, on the

 2-8     many occasions that have arisen in Beaumont, Houston, and Alief

 2-9     which required leadership, energy, action, and a neighborly

2-10     attitude to determine and achieve the common good in the community,

2-11     Howard Hicks has provided all these characteristics in abundant

2-12     supply; and

2-13           WHEREAS, His longstanding commitment to service has garnered

2-14     him awards and commendations almost too numerous to document, the

2-15     latest of these honors being the opening of the elementary school

2-16     that bears his name; and

2-17           WHEREAS, Ever true to form, Howard Hicks has taken on the

2-18     students of Howard J. Hicks Elementary School as his own, with

2-19     almost daily visits for reading sessions, friendly chats, and

2-20     attention to those with special needs; now, therefore, be it

2-21           RESOLVED, That the Texas House of Representatives of the 75th

2-22     Legislature take this time out today to congratulate and honor one

2-23     of the most beloved members of the Alief community, Mr. Howard J.

2-24     Hicks; and, be it further

2-25           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

 3-1     prepared for Mr. Hicks as an expression of high regard by the Texas

 3-2     House of Representatives.