R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The passing of Judge Thurman Morris Gupton on

 1-2     August 20, 1996, brought a great loss to the many friends and

 1-3     relatives of this distinguished Texan; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, A longtime resident of West Columbia, he attended

 1-5     Rice Institute and earned his law degree from Houston Law School;

 1-6     he was a licensed surveyor as well, having attended Houston

 1-7     Engineering College, and he also studied at the United States Naval

 1-8     War College in Rhode Island; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, Judge Gupton was a patriotic individual who proudly

1-10     served his country during World War II as an intelligence officer

1-11     with the United States Navy; following the war, he maintained his

1-12     military involvement as a member of the Naval Reserve and organized

1-13     a naval law unit in Brazoria County before retiring as a captain

1-14     after 30 years of meritorious service; and

1-15           WHEREAS, This eminent gentleman further contributed to the

1-16     legal profession as a public official and was first elected judge

1-17     of Brazoria County in 1947; three years later, Governor Allan

1-18     Shivers appointed him Judge of the 23rd Judicial District, in which

1-19     capacity he served for 26 years before becoming a member of the

1-20     Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1976; and

1-21           WHEREAS, An esteemed member of several local bar associations

1-22     and the State Bar of Texas, he was admitted to practice law before

1-23     the United States Supreme Court, and toward the close of his

1-24     professional career he was of counsel with the Houston law firm of

 2-1     Kronzer, Abraham & Watkins and offered wise and thoughtful guidance

 2-2     in that post; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, Throughout his lifetime, Judge Gupton maintained an

 2-4     abiding commitment to the community he was proud to call home, and

 2-5     the many organizations that welcomed his active participation

 2-6     included the Brazoria County United Fund, the Columbia United

 2-7     Methodist Church, and the Boy Scouts, which honored him for his

 2-8     stalwart commitment with its Silver Beaver Award; and

 2-9           WHEREAS, He was also deeply committed to preserving the

2-10     region's rich heritage as a member of  the Brazoria County

2-11     Historical Survey Committee, the Brazoria County Historical

2-12     Commission, and the Brazoria County Historical Museum; the West

2-13     Columbia Chamber of Commerce recognized him for his remarkable

2-14     record of civic involvement when he was named the community's

2-15     Outstanding Citizen in 1969; and

2-16           WHEREAS, A man of immense vision and strength, Thurman Gupton

2-17     left an indelible mark on both his state and his community during

2-18     his years on this earth, and though he is gone from us now, his

2-19     memory will long endure in the hearts and minds of all who were

2-20     privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it

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

2-22     Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Judge Thurman Morris

2-23     Gupton and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family; to

2-24     his beloved wife of more than 66 years, Gladys Stucker Gupton; to

2-25     his daughters, Dolores Gupton Rader and her husband, John F.  Rader

2-26     III, and Peggy Gupton McMillan and her husband, Sid McMillan; to

2-27     his brothers, Rex Gupton and Aubrey "Hank" Gupton; to his

 3-1     grandchildren, Lloyd C. "Ace" Brandt, Jr., and his wife, Kathy

 3-2     Brandt, Cynthia Brandt Saville and her husband, Earl Saville,

 3-3     Kimberly Danford Clinch and her husband, Tim Clinch, and William D.

 3-4     Danford, Jr.; to his great-grandchildren, Melanie Brandt Adame and

 3-5     her husband, Cosme Adame, Lauren Brandt, Jacob Carl Toney, Brittany

 3-6     Madeline Toney, and Samuel Clinch; and to his great-great-grandson,

 3-7     Eric Adame; and, be it further

 3-8           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

 3-9     prepared for the members of his family, and that when the Texas

3-10     House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of

3-11     Judge Thurman Morris Gupton.

                                                                        Uher

                                             _______________________________

                                                   Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.R. No. 396 was unanimously adopted by a

         rising vote of the House on April 11, 1997.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House