R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The family and friends of Dr. Lawrence Ray Clayton
1-2 of Abilene were deeply saddened by the passing of this learned and
1-3 esteemed gentleman on December 31, 2000, at the age of 62; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Born on April 21, 1938, in San Antonio, Dr. Clayton
1-5 graduated from Rusk High School and Ranger Junior College and then
1-6 earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Stephen F. Austin State
1-7 University; pursuing his studies further, he obtained a second
1-8 master's degree from North Texas State University and a doctoral
1-9 degree from Texas Tech University; and
1-10 WHEREAS, Dr. Clayton applied his learning to the endeavor of
1-11 educating others, teaching at Rusk High School, R. L. Turner High
1-12 School, and Texas Tech University before embarking on a 33-year
1-13 tenure at Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) in 1968; during his
1-14 impressive career at the university, he served as an English
1-15 professor, as head of the English department, and ultimately as the
1-16 dean of the college of liberal arts, and he was respected and
1-17 admired by colleagues and students alike for his sterling
1-18 instruction and devotion; and
1-19 WHEREAS, In addition to being a noteworthy educator, this
1-20 distinguished Texan was also a renowned author and historian who
1-21 published over 170 reviews, 30 books, 130 articles, and numerous
1-22 videos; during his lifelong pursuit of chronicling cowboy heritage,
1-23 Dr. Clayton expounded on various topics ranging from cowboys
1-24 working along the Clear Fork of the Brazos River to rancher Watt
2-1 Mathews to authors Elmer Kelton and John Erickson; and
2-2 WHEREAS, Dr. Clayton has left a legacy of works that attest
2-3 to his high academic integrity and dedication to his subject
2-4 matter, and posthumously this legacy continues to grow as more of
2-5 his writings are published, including Ranching: The History and
2-6 Current Operation of Sixteen Working Ranches in Texas; Vaqueros,
2-7 Buckaroos, and Cowboys; Roots of Texas Music to 1950; Works of
2-8 Lawrence Clayton; and an annotated bibliography of his works in
2-9 disk format; and
2-10 WHEREAS, Western literature and history were a passion of
2-11 this gentleman and led him to found Western Heritage Day on the
2-12 Hardin-Simmons University campus in Abilene; in addition, he was
2-13 the past president of the West Texas Historical Association,
2-14 Southwest Popular Cultural Association, Texas Folklore Society, and
2-15 Western Literature Association; and
2-16 WHEREAS, His noteworthy achievements in this field garnered
2-17 him the well-deserved Cowboy Culture Award for Writing and
2-18 Publishing from the National Cowboy Symposium as well as the West
2-19 Texas Historical Association Yearbook 2000 dedication; the Dodge
2-20 Jones Foundation recently made a major contribution to establish
2-21 the Clayton Roundtable Room in the Elwin L. Skiles Social Sciences
2-22 Building being built on the HSU campus; and
2-23 WHEREAS, Dr. Clayton answered his country's call to duty,
2-24 first by enrolling in the Texas National Guard, followed by
2-25 attending officers candidate school at Fort Benning, and then by
2-26 serving during the Berlin crisis; and
2-27 WHEREAS, This estimable individual has bequeathed to the
3-1 world a treasure of research and erudition, many generations of
3-2 former students who were inspired under his tutelage, and a host of
3-3 family members and friends whose lives are richer because of this
3-4 remarkable man; now, therefore, be it
3-5 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
3-6 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. Lawrence Ray
3-7 Clayton and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family:
3-8 to his wife of 42 years, Sonja Clayton; to his daughter, DeLys
3-9 Mitchell and her husband, Matt; to his daughter, Lea Clayton; to
3-10 his two grandchildren, Amanda and Ashley Mitchell; and to his many
3-11 other relatives, colleagues, and friends; and, be it further
3-12 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-13 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas
3-14 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
3-15 Dr. Lawrence Clayton.
Hunter
Laney Goodman Merritt
Alexander Goolsby Miller
Allen Gray Moreno of Harris
Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso
Bailey Grusendorf Morrison
Berman Gutierrez Mowery
Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat
Bosse Hamric Najera
Brimer Hardcastle Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira
Burnam Heflin Olivo
Callegari Hilbert Pickett
Capelo Hilderbran Pitts
Carter Hill Puente
Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay
Chisum Hochberg Rangel
Christian Hodge Raymond
Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar
Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas
Cook Hopson Ritter
Corte Howard Sadler
Counts Hunter Salinas
Crabb Hupp Seaman
Craddick Isett Shields
Crownover Janek Smith
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis
Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons
Delisi Junell Swinford
Denny Keel Talton
Deshotel Keffer Telford
Driver King of Parker Thompson
Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery
Dunnam Kitchen Truitt
Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman
Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris
Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher
Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal
Ellis Longoria Walker
Farabee Luna West
Farrar McCall Williams
Flores McClendon Wilson
Gallego McReynolds Wise
Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth
George Marchant Wolens
Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley
Giddings Maxey Yarbrough
Glaze Menendez Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 148 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on January 30, 2001.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House