R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, Richard Drake has retired as adult probation chief

 1-2     of the First Judicial District Supervision and Correction

 1-3     Department, drawing to a close a distinguished career in service to

 1-4     the people of East Texas that has spanned more than 23 years; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, Mr. Drake was graduated from Sam Houston State

 1-6     University in 1964 and during the earliest years of his career he

 1-7     worked with the Texas Department of Corrections both as a field

 1-8     lieutenant and as a staff member in the education department at the

 1-9     agency's Huntsville and Sugarland facilities; and

1-10           WHEREAS, He moved to Jasper County in 1973 to become one of

1-11     the first probation officers in the First Judicial District

1-12     Supervision and Correction Department; highly regarded for his

1-13     expertise, professionalism, and dedication, he was named chief of

1-14     the Adult Probation Department three years later, in which capacity

1-15     he has proudly served the people of Jasper, Newton, San Augustine,

1-16     and Sabine counties for more than two decades; and

1-17           WHEREAS, He has maintained an abiding commitment to his

1-18     community through his involvement with the First United Methodist

1-19     Church of Jasper and the Newton County Fair Association, which

1-20     honored him for his dedication in 1987, and he was also feted as

1-21     Newcomer of the Year by the Newton Chamber of Commerce in 1972; and

1-22           WHEREAS, A devoted family man, Mr. Drake is the husband of

1-23     Bobbie Drake, a teacher in the Jasper school system, and the proud

1-24     father of three children, Debbie, Steve, and Richard, and more

 2-1     recently, the Drakes have welcomed the addition of three

 2-2     grandchildren into their close-knit family; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, For many years, Richard Drake has helped to make the

 2-4     East Texas community a better place in which to live, work, and

 2-5     rear a family, and it gives the members of this chamber great

 2-6     pleasure to recognize him at this time; now, therefore, be it

 2-7           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 2-8     Legislature hereby congratulate Richard Drake on his outstanding

 2-9     public service and extend to him warmest best wishes for a happy

2-10     and rewarding retirement; and, be it further

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

2-12     prepared for Mr. Drake as an expression of high regard by the Texas

2-13     House of Representatives.

                                                             Lewis of Orange

                                             _______________________________

                                                   Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.R. No. 849 was adopted by the House on May

         23, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House