By Hunter                                              H.R. No. 285
         77R3798 JKB-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The passing of Myrle Greathouse of Abilene on
 1-2     December 29, 2000, at the age of 78, has brought a great loss to
 1-3     the family and many friends of this esteemed gentleman; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Mr. Greathouse was born in Amarillo on September 19,
 1-5     1922, and graduated from Amarillo High School, where he played
 1-6     linebacker and fullback on the 1940 state championship football
 1-7     team; a dedicated athlete and scholar, he graduated from Oklahoma
 1-8     University in 1949, lettering in football every year, and was later
 1-9     inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in Waco;
1-10     and
1-11           WHEREAS, In 1943, this distinguished gentleman joined the
1-12     United States Marine Corps and, during his tenure of military
1-13     service, earned the prestigious Purple Heart; and
1-14           WHEREAS, Beginning a career that would span more than four
1-15     decades, Mr. Greathouse moved to Abilene in 1954 and assumed a post
1-16     with WES-TEX Drilling; his tremendous leadership ability enabled
1-17     him to ascend through the ranks of the company, which included
1-18     being named executive vice president in 1956 and then president in
1-19     1979; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Renowned throughout the community for his
1-21     compassionate nature, he gave generously of his time and talents to
1-22     a host of community organizations, including the West Texas
1-23     Rehabilitation Center and the Joint Venture for Crippled Children;
1-24     in addition, this native Texan served as a board member of First
 2-1     National Bank of Abilene and Crockett County National Bank in Ozona
 2-2     and San Angelo and as president of the Petroleum Club; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Throughout his noteworthy career, Mr. Greathouse
 2-4     earned acclaim as both a community and industry leader; he and
 2-5     WES-TEX were awarded the Petroleum Industry Award in 1986, he was
 2-6     named Oilman of the Year in 1988 by the West Central Texas Oil &
 2-7     Gas Association, he received the Golden Deeds Award, and he was
 2-8     honored as Abilene's Outstanding Philanthropist by the National
 2-9     Society of Fund-Raising Executives; a man to whom giving was a
2-10     lifelong commitment, he established the Greathouse Foundation in
2-11     1997, which since its founding has distributed over two million
2-12     dollars to local charities; and
2-13           WHEREAS, A devoted husband to his wife, Marcella, and father
2-14     of three, Mr. Greathouse was a loyal member of Brook Hollow
2-15     Christian Church; he was a man of immense ability and integrity,
2-16     and although he will be greatly missed, his spirit will live on in
2-17     the hearts and minds of the many people whose lives he touched;
2-18     now, therefore, be it
2-19           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-20     Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Myrle Greathouse and
2-21     extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife,
2-22     Marcella; to his son, Micah; to his daughter and her husband,
2-23     Sharon and Mike McDonald; to his sisters, Nettie Campbell and Betty
2-24     McKinney; to his grandchildren, Kelly Taylor and Christopher
2-25     McDonald; to his great-grandchildren, Brennen and MacKenzie Taylor;
2-26     and to his many other relatives and friends; and, be it further
2-27           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 3-1     prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
 3-2     Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Myrle
 3-3     Greathouse.