R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, June 30, 2001, will mark the occasion of Howard J.
 1-2     Hicks's final day of work as a state employee, after 15 years as
 1-3     the District 149 Aide to Representative Talmadge Heflin; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, In attempting to find the right words for this
 1-5     occasion, one has to be careful to avoid the word "retirement,"
 1-6     owing largely to the fact that in his 87-plus years of life, Howard
 1-7     Hicks has never been known to be the retiring type; and
 1-8           WHEREAS, Howard's 15 years in the District 149 Office have
 1-9     been as fulfilling to his co-workers and his boss as they have been
1-10     to the numerous constituents he has served; Howard's style of
1-11     service more often than not has included involving himself
1-12     personally on behalf of his "customers," be it offering a ride to a
1-13     clinic or offering friendship; and
1-14           WHEREAS, His superlative performance in this job came as a
1-15     surprise to no one, given his more than a half-century dedication
1-16     to making whatever community he involved himself with a better
1-17     place; and
1-18           WHEREAS, Those community endeavors have earned him widespread
1-19     accolades, from the Lions Club to the Alief Independent School
1-20     District, which in 1996 opened the doors of Howard J. Hicks
1-21     Elementary School--a school that Howard regularly visits to read to
1-22     "his kids," and a school that is almost big enough to host all the
1-23     well-wishers who will want to send Howard off in style when they
1-24     gather there on his big day; now, therefore, be it
 2-1           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
 2-2     Legislature congratulate Howard J. Hicks and thank him for his
 2-3     service to the state and the community; and, be it further
 2-4           RESOLVED, That the house designate June 30, 2001, as Howard
 2-5     Hicks Day in Alief; and, be it further
 2-6           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 2-7     prepared for Mr. Hicks as an expression of high regard by the Texas
 2-8     House of Representatives.
                                                                      Heflin
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 1383 was adopted by the House on May
         27, 2001, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House