By Hunter                                              H.R. No. 148
         77R5019 MW-D                           
                                 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.