R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The passing of former State Representative Ben
 1-2     Dodson "Jumbo" Atwell on June 29, 1998, at the age of 82, has
 1-3     greatly saddened the family and many friends of this esteemed Texan
 1-4     and brought a great loss to the legal and legislative communities
 1-5     of the state; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, At 6'3", Mr. Atwell earned his sobriquet honestly,
 1-7     but as friends and colleagues in the legislature can attest,
 1-8     "Jumbo" Atwell was a formidable legislative presence as well; he
 1-9     was regarded as the dean of the Dallas County delegation and known
1-10     to be devilishly attentive when focusing on the issues at hand; and
1-11           WHEREAS, Mr. Atwell began his legislative career in 1951, and
1-12     through the course of more than two decades as a representative he
1-13     was responsible for a number of legislative initiatives and
1-14     successes, including the authorization creating the Dallas-Fort
1-15     Worth International Airport; and
1-16           WHEREAS, It was his bluntly honest confrontation with state
1-17     funding, however, that brought him the most renown, or infamy, for
1-18     Mr. Atwell is recognized as the author of the bill that established
1-19     the state sales tax in 1963; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Many fellow legislators admit that the Lone Star
1-21     State would not now enjoy its current level of education, law
1-22     enforcement, and social services if not for the practical and
1-23     farsighted courage of Mr. Atwell to carry a bill to increase badly
1-24     needed state revenue; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, His sense of humor quickly overrode any fleeting
 2-2     notoriety, and today, in a great blend of sorrow and jest,
 2-3     Mr. Atwell rests beneath a tombstone he designed that reads:
 2-4     "Lawyer-Legislator. Author of tax bill"; and
 2-5           WHEREAS, The vast humor, good friendship, and wise counsel of
 2-6     "Jumbo" Atwell will be sorely missed, but surely his spirit lives
 2-7     on, through a pink granite marker and within the hearts and
 2-8     memories of the countless Texans whose lives he touched, and it is
 2-9     indeed appropriate to honor his memory at this time; now,
2-10     therefore, be it
2-11           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-12     Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and work of former State
2-13     Representative Ben Dodson "Jumbo" Atwell and extend sincere
2-14     sympathy to the members of his family: to his daughter, Sandi
2-15     Purdy; to his son, Ben "Duke" Atwell IV; to his grandson and two
2-16     great-grandchildren; and to the many other relatives and friends of
2-17     this singular gentleman; and, be it further
2-18           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-19     prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas
2-20     House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
2-21     the Honorable Ben Dodson "Jumbo" Atwell.
                                                                        Uher
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 623 was unanimously adopted by a
         rising vote of the House on April 30, 1999.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House