R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The family and friends of Melba Herron Richards of
1-2 Lubbock were deeply saddened by the untimely passing of this
1-3 esteemed woman on January 31, 2001; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Born on November 2, 1949, Mrs. Richards graduated
1-5 from high school in Brownfield and received a bachelor of science
1-6 degree in home economics from Texas Woman's University; in 1984,
1-7 she earned a law degree at Texas Tech University, where she served
1-8 as associate editor of the Law Review; and
1-9 WHEREAS, Mrs. Richards had a distinguished and diverse career
1-10 beginning as a typesetter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal; in
1-11 1979, she and her husband, Don Richards, moved to Washington, D.C.,
1-12 where for three years she worked as an aide on the staff of U.S.
1-13 Senator Lloyd Bentsen; and
1-14 WHEREAS, After returning to Lubbock and receiving her law
1-15 degree, Mrs. Richards was employed by the law firm of McWhorter,
1-16 Cobb and Johnson, L.L.P.; she then worked for the Texas Tech
1-17 University School of Medicine as associate general counsel and head
1-18 of the self-insurance division for physicians; in 1992,
1-19 Mrs. Richards partnered with David Langston to create the law firm
1-20 of Langston and Richards, L.L.P., after which she started a private
1-21 practice; and
1-22 WHEREAS, In addition to succeeding in the law profession,
1-23 this notable Texan devoted much of her time and energy toward the
1-24 betterment of her community, serving as president of the Roscoe
2-1 Wilson Elementary Parent-Teacher Association and as director and
2-2 counsel for the Lubbock Housing Authority; moreover, she was active
2-3 as an area officer of the Texas Young Homemakers Association; and
2-4 WHEREAS, Mrs. Richards was a loving wife and mother who was
2-5 respected as a highly skilled attorney and successful
2-6 businesswoman, and her bright spirit will undoubtedly live on in
2-7 the hearts of the many people whose lives she deeply touched; now,
2-8 therefore, be it
2-9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-10 Legislature hereby honor the memory of Melba Richards and extend
2-11 sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her husband, Don;
2-12 to her son, Reid; to her daughter, Raye; to her mother, Lucy Brown;
2-13 to her sister, Gayle Thetford; to her many nieces and nephews; and
2-14 to all her other relatives and friends; and, be it further
2-15 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-16 prepared for the members of her family and that when the Texas
2-17 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
2-18 Melba Richards.
Isett
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. 245 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on February 13, 2001.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House