By Geren H.R. No. 452 77R8543 GMW-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives joins with the 1-2 citizens of Fort Worth and all the family and friends of John 1-3 Sullivan Justin, Jr., in mourning the death of this Cowtown icon, 1-4 who passed away on February 26, 2001, at the age of 84; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Along with Amon Carter, Perry Bass, and Charles 1-6 Tandy, John Justin was part of a legendary group of civic leaders 1-7 who contributed so greatly to shaping the character of Fort Worth; 1-8 and 1-9 WHEREAS, Born in Nocona on January 17, 1917, Mr. Justin 1-10 attended Oklahoma A&M University and Texas Christian University and 1-11 served his country in the merchant marine during World War II; and 1-12 WHEREAS, He was the third generation in a family of boot 1-13 makers whose business had been founded in 1879, but his father, 1-14 feeling that there was no future in boots, converted the company to 1-15 making shoes; using borrowed money, Mr. Justin and a partner 1-16 started the Justin Barton Belt Company in 1938; and 1-17 WHEREAS, The belt business prospered, but the new shoe line 1-18 did not, and the family turned to Mr. Justin; facing strong 1-19 skepticism, he promptly ordered the shoemaking equipment removed 1-20 and soon introduced the popular "Roper" boot; today, Justin is the 1-21 best-known name in Western and work boots in the country; and 1-22 WHEREAS, He was a board chairman who knew all the products 1-23 that his company made and how to make them and who always had an 1-24 open-door policy; before he retired in 1999, he had seen his 2-1 business prosper, and then boom, in the wake of Urban Cowboy, had 2-2 bought out several well-known competitors, including Tony Lama, and 2-3 had successfully fended off Wall Street raiders; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Not only an exceptional businessman and Texas 2-5 Business Hall of Fame inductee, but also the man who virtually 2-6 personified the Fort Worth Stock Show and its rodeo, he was 2-7 inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs in 2-8 1998 and the Hall of Great Westerners in Oklahoma City's Cowboy 2-9 Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in 1999; he and his wife 2-10 were named Man and Woman of the Year by the National Cowboy Hall of 2-11 Fame in 1984, and his statue, depicting him riding his favorite 2-12 Grand Entry horse, is at the southeast end of the Will Rogers 2-13 Complex; and 2-14 WHEREAS, A former mayor and city councilman and a longtime 2-15 trustee of Texas Christian University, John Justin made exceptional 2-16 contributions to the citizens of Fort Worth, and the profound 2-17 impact he had on the lives of many ensures that his legacy will 2-18 long endure; 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 John Sullivan Justin, 2-21 Jr., and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to 2-22 his wife, Jane; to his son, David; to his daughter, Mary; and to 2-23 his other relatives and countless friends; and, be it further 2-24 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-25 prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of 2-26 Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of John 2-27 Sullivan Justin, Jr.