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H.R. No. 40
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The passing of Dr. Paul E. "Red" Pierce of Alpine on
March 31, 2004, at the age of 89, has deeply saddened the family and
many friends of this distinguished educator; and
WHEREAS, Born on December 29, 1914, in Hill, New Mexico, and
raised in Fort Stockton, Dr. Pierce attended Schreiner Institute in
Kerrville and earned an associate of arts degree while
participating in football, basketball, and track; in 1934, he
matriculated at Sul Ross State Teachers College, where he played
football and basketball and earned his bachelor of science degree
in chemistry; he later received his doctorate in education from the
University of Houston in 1961; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Pierce launched a noteworthy career as a coach
and educator in 1936, when he began teaching chemistry and biology
as well as coaching athletics in Fabens; two years later, he moved
to Wink, where he also taught and coached; during World War II, Dr.
Pierce served with distinction as a gunnery officer in the United
States Navy and later became head football coach at Bainbridge
Naval Training Station; and
WHEREAS, After his military service, Dr. Pierce returned to
Sul Ross State Teachers College as head football coach; during his
stellar tenure, he led the Lobos to four conference championships
and two bowl games, including the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando,
Florida; in 1952, he took over as head football coach, head track
coach, and athletic director at Sam Houston State Teachers College,
where he added to his impressive resume four conference
championships in football, five bowl game appearances, and the 1964
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) football
cochampionship; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Pierce returned again to Sul Ross in 1968 as
professor of health and physical education and as chairman of the
physical education department; from 1971 to 1975, he demonstrated
his coaching brilliance once more as he led the women's volleyball
team to the national tournament three times, winning once and
placing fifth twice; and
WHEREAS, The recipient of numerous well-deserved accolades,
Dr. Pierce was named the 1965 Knute Rockne Little All-American
Coach of the Year; he was inducted into the Sam Houston State
University Hall of Honor in 1978 and the Sul Ross State University
Hall of Honor in 1986; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his many years of coaching NAIA
teams, Dr. Pierce involved himself in the NAIA at all levels,
serving as president, as a member of the executive committee, and as
a volunteer in several capacities at the district level; most
notably, he helped to organize the first NAIA national football
championship game as well as the current play-off system; Dr.
Pierce also served as a member of the board of directors of the
United Sates Olympic Committee, the executive committee of the
Amateur Athletic Union, and the board of directors of the World
Student Games; and
WHEREAS, After his retirement from education in 1978, this
distinguished Texan made significant contributions to his
community through his engagement in civic affairs, serving as mayor
of Alpine from 1976 to 1984 and from 1986 to 1990; he was also
involved with the Rio Grande Council of Governments, where he was
board chairman from 1979 to 1980, as well as with the advisory
committee for the area agency on aging and with the criminal justice
advisory committee; and
WHEREAS, A positive influence in the lives of countless
individuals, especially those young people whom he served as a
guiding force in their formative years, Dr. Pierce leaves behind a
legacy of good works that will long endure, and his memory will not
soon be forgotten; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas
Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of
Dr. Paul E. Pierce and extend sincere sympathy to the members of
his family: to his son, Paul Edward Pierce II; to his daughter and
son-in-law, Laurie and Dr. Thomas Hunt; to his grandsons, Thomas
and Jonathan Hunt; and to his other relatives and many friends; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. Paul E.
"Red" Pierce.
Gallego
Craddick Geren Mercer
Allen Giddings Merritt
Alonzo Goodman Miller
Bailey Goolsby Moreno of Harris
Baxter Griggs Moreno of El Paso
Berman Grusendorf Morrison
Bohac Guillen Mowery
Bonnen Gutierrez Naishtat
Branch Haggerty Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hamilton Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hamric Oliveira
Burnam Hardcastle Olivo
Callegari Harper-Brown Paxton
Campbell Hartnett Pena
Canales Heflin Phillips
Capelo Hegar Pickett
Casteel Hilderbran Pitts
Castro Hill Puente
Chavez Hochberg Quintanilla
Chisum Hodge Raymond
Christian Homer Reyna
Coleman Hope Riddle
Cook of Navarro Hopson Ritter
Cook of Colorado Howard Rodriguez
Corte Hughes Rose
Crabb Hunter Seaman
Crownover Hupp Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris Isett Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Dawson Jones of Bexar Solis
Delisi Jones of Dallas Solomons
Denny Keel Stick
Deshotel Keffer of Dallas Swinford
Driver Keffer of Eastland Talton
Dukes King Taylor
Dunnam Kolkhorst Telford
Dutton Krusee Thompson
Edwards Kuempel Truitt
Eiland Laney Turner
Eissler Laubenberg Uresti
Elkins Lewis Van Arsdale
Ellis Luna Villarreal
Escobar Mabry West
Farabee Madden Wilson
Farrar Marchant Wise
Flores Martinez Fischer Wohlgemuth
Flynn McCall Wolens
Gallego McClendon Wong
Garza McReynolds Woolley
Gattis Menendez Zedler
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 40 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on May 11, 2004.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House