By Olivo                                               H.R. No. 818

         75R14201 JTR-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, Judge Jodie E. Stavinoha has distinguished himself

 1-2     as a dedicated public servant as well as a vital and valued member

 1-3     of the community, and his many contributions to his fellow Texans

 1-4     are indeed worthy of special praise and recognition; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, A veteran of the United States Navy, Judge Stavinoha

 1-6     graduated cum laude from the University of Notre Dame before

 1-7     embarking on a career as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of

 1-8     Investigation, and he served in that capacity for more than a

 1-9     quarter of a century before leaving the bureau in 1976; and

1-10           WHEREAS, After working as an assistant vice president at

1-11     Republic Bank of Houston, Judge Stavinoha in 1979 became county

1-12     judge of Fort Bend County, and his 12 years in office were

1-13     characterized by his deep concern for the welfare of his

1-14     constituents; an eloquent advocate for those less fortunate, he

1-15     labored diligently to increase the availability of health and

1-16     social services; and

1-17           WHEREAS, Through the years, Judge Stavinoha has given freely

1-18     of his time and energy to a number of worthy causes, devoting

1-19     special attention to the needs of the mentally retarded; a founding

1-20     member and past chairman of the Riceland Regional Mental Health

1-21     Authority for more than eight years, he has also served the United

1-22     Way of the Texas Gulf Coast, the Houston Area Red Cross, the Fort

1-23     Bend County Health Council, and the Richmond State School's

1-24     regional advisory board and group home advisory committee; and

 2-1           WHEREAS, His volunteer work is not limited to the field of

 2-2     health care, for he has lent his leadership abilities to such

 2-3     worthy endeavors as the Houston/Galveston Area Council of

 2-4     Governments, the Needville and Rosenberg/Richmond Area chambers of

 2-5     commerce, the American Legion, and the Knights of Columbus; he was

 2-6     also a founding member of both the Fort Bend Arts Council and the

 2-7     Fort Bend Economic Development Council; and

 2-8           WHEREAS, The great esteem in which Judge Stavinoha is held by

 2-9     his fellow citizens is evident from the many honors he has been

2-10     accorded; the namesake of both a bridge and a "New Beginnings Home"

2-11     at Trinity Life Ranch, he has also received the Fort Bend Regional

2-12     Council Visionary Award for Alcohol & Drug Abuse and the Book of

2-13     Golden Deeds Award for Outstanding Service to the Citizens of Fort

2-14     Bend County; and

2-15           WHEREAS, Throughout his remarkable career, Judge Stavinoha

2-16     has drawn strength and inspiration from his large and loving

2-17     family, and he and his wife Mary Jane Radcliffe Stavinoha take

2-18     great pride and joy in their children and their children's spouses:

2-19     Mary Therese Stavinoha Stark and James Edward Stark; John Radcliffe

2-20     Stavinoha; Theodore Joseph Stavinoha; James Edward Stavinoha; Dr.

2-21     Peter Llewellyn Stavinoha and Dr. Kimberly Francis Crook Stavinoha;

2-22     and Daniel Desmond Stavinoha; and their grandchildren: Bryan Thomas

2-23     Stark, Meghan Kristine Stark, Kathleen Elizabeth Stark, Patrick

2-24     Joseph Stark, Daniel James Stark, and Joseph Herbert Stavinoha; and

2-25           WHEREAS, Judge Stavinoha's commitment to the common good has

2-26     benefited his fellow citizens to an immeasurable extent, and it is

2-27     indeed fitting that we recognize his many accomplishments at this

 3-1     time; now, therefore, be it

 3-2           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 3-3     Legislature hereby honor Judge Jodie E. Stavinoha for his lifetime

 3-4     of service and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued

 3-5     success and happiness in the years to come; and, be it further

 3-6           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

 3-7     prepared for Judge Stavinoha as an expression of high regard by the

 3-8     Texas House of Representatives.