By Uher H.R. No. 396 75R8056 SAJ-D 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.