R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The recent passing of Cleon Thornton of Abilene on

 1-2     April 24, 1997, at the age of 86, has brought a great loss to the

 1-3     many friends and relatives of this esteemed woman; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, A native Texan, she was born on March 7, 1911, in

 1-5     Lone Oak to the Reverend William Gaddis Tankersley and Mary Lea

 1-6     Pinegar Tankersley and pursued her higher education at Oklahoma

 1-7     Baptist University and Oklahoma A & M; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, On August 30, 1931, she married Shella Thornton and

 1-9     they spent many happy years together before his passing in 1994;

1-10     and

1-11           WHEREAS, While much of her time was devoted to maintaining

1-12     the family's home, she was also a superb pianist, performing

1-13     regularly at the Templo Bautista in Abilene, and was active in the

1-14     Abilene Philharmonic; and

1-15           WHEREAS, In addition to her musical activities, Mrs. Thornton

1-16     was a volunteer at the Hendrick Medical Center and was a member of

1-17     the Abilene Women's Club and the First Baptist Church; and

1-18           WHEREAS, Cleon Thornton was a woman of rare compassion and

1-19     generosity, and although her warmth and wisdom are gone from us

1-20     now, her remarkable spirit will surely live on in the hearts of the

1-21     many people she touched during her time on this earth; now,

1-22     therefore, be it

1-23           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

1-24     Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Cleon Thornton and

 2-1     extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her

 2-2     children, the Honorable Bill Thornton, Betty Crowe, and Shella

 2-3     Massey; to her sisters, Frances Messer and Billie Jean Townes; to

 2-4     her daughter-in-law, Carolyn Thornton; to her sons-in-law, John

 2-5     Massey and John Crowe, Jr.; to her grandchildren, Julia Ann Bopp,

 2-6     John Crowe III, David Thornton Crowe, Georgianna Lea Mullins, Sara

 2-7     Burleson, Timothy Elliott Crowe, Rhetta Hogan, Joseph Edward Crowe,

 2-8     Kate Thornton, and Ted Thornton; to her 22 great-grandchildren; and

 2-9     to the many other friends and relatives of this beloved woman; and,

2-10     be it further

2-11           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-12     prepared for the members of her family and that when the Texas

2-13     House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of

2-14     Cleon Thornton.

                                                                      Hunter

                                                                     Siebert

                                             _______________________________

                                                   Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.R. No. 841 was unanimously adopted by a

         rising vote of the House on May 23, 1997.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House