1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 556 1-3 In Memory 1-4 of 1-5 Tom E. Turner, Sr. 1-6 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the 1-7 citizens of San Antonio in mourning the loss of Tom E. Turner, Sr., 1-8 who died January 24, 2001, at the age of 87; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Born in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 28, 1913, 1-10 Tom Turner was one of San Antonio's most successful and respected 1-11 businessmen; and 1-12 WHEREAS, In 1934, he married his first wife, Mary, and 1-13 the couple moved to San Antonio in 1935 with their young son, 1-14 Tom, Jr.; and 1-15 WHEREAS, When Mr. and Mrs. Turner had a second son, Fred, 1-16 in 1939, Tom found a job working for Sigfried Moore in a gas 1-17 station for $10 a week; he worked 12-hour shifts, seven nights 1-18 a week; when Mr. Moore sold his service station in 1943, he lent 1-19 Tom $350 to buy it, and Mr. Turner named his company after his 1-20 mentor, calling it Sigmor; and 2-1 WHEREAS, By the late 1950s, Mr. Turner and his partner 2-2 owned 30 service stations, and the company grew into the nation's 2-3 largest independent gasoline retailer; and 2-4 WHEREAS, In 1983, when Mr. Turner sold his company, Sigmor, to 2-5 Diamond Shamrock, the operation owned 600 service stations; and 2-6 WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, Mr. Turner bought a radio 2-7 station in San Antonio, giving it a country-western format and 2-8 naming it KBUC, and soon it became the number one radio outlet 2-9 in the San Antonio area; KBUC and several other stations owned by 2-10 Mr. Turner were sold in 1985; and 2-11 WHEREAS, A man with excellent foresight, Mr. Turner 2-12 knew that the north side of San Antonio would grow rapidly and 2-13 purchased a large tract of land, which he developed into the 2-14 successful Sonterra Country Club; and 2-15 WHEREAS, The founder, senior chairman, and chief executive 2-16 officer of the gasoline convenience store chain, Tetco, 2-17 Incorporated, Mr. Turner was also chairman of Mission Petroleum 2-18 Carriers, Incorporated, and a partner in V. K. Knowlton Paving 2-19 Contractors; and 2-20 WHEREAS, Widely known as a generous man who helped many 2-21 individuals from different walks of life, Mr. Turner was founder 2-22 of the Bob Lilly Scholarship Fund at Texas Christian University; 2-23 he helped many young people with their college educations, gave 3-1 major donations to the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, and 3-2 contributed generously to Scott and White Hospital in Temple; and 3-3 WHEREAS, One who sought to return value to his community, 3-4 Mr. Turner served on the Board of Visitors of Scott and White 3-5 Clinic, was Director Emeritus and Life Member of the San Antonio 3-6 Livestock Exposition, and was a Director of the Southwest 3-7 Foundation for Biomedical Research; and 3-8 WHEREAS, An exemplary and distinguished figure, Mr. Turner 3-9 was respected for his many accomplishments and was a dynamic and 3-10 visionary man; he had a profound influence on all whose lives he 3-11 touched, and he will be greatly missed; now, therefore, be it 3-12 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-13 77th Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to 3-14 the family of Tom E. Turner, Sr.: his wife, Brenda; his 3-15 sons, Tom Turner, Jr., and Fred Turner; his stepdaughter, 3-16 Jacquelyn Hatten; and his eight grandchildren and his 16 3-17 great-grandchildren; and, be it further 3-18 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 3-19 the members of his family as an expression of deepest sympathy 3-20 from the Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, 3-21 it do so in memory of Tom E. Turner, Sr. 3-22 Wentworth 3-23 ______________________________________ 3-24 President of the Senate 4-1 I hereby certify that the above 4-2 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 4-3 on March 22, 2001, by a rising vote. 4-4 ______________________________________ 4-5 Secretary of the Senate 4-6 ______________________________________ 4-7 Member, Texas Senate