H.R. No. 1550
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The passing of the Reverend Oliver Charlton "O. C."
Johnson, Sr., on January 21, 2003, at the age of 67, has deeply
saddened not only his family but also his many friends and admirers
in the Houston community; and
WHEREAS, Born on February 20, 1935, in the Bayou City to the
Reverend Leroy Johnson and Pearl Johnson, he was particularly close
to his uncle and aunt, Ben and Inez Johnson, who helped raise him;
he was a graduate of Booker T. Washington Senior High School and
went on to earn a four-year certificate from Bishop College in
Dallas and a bachelor's degree in theology from Union Theological
Baptist Seminary; and
WHEREAS, He answered the call to the ministry in 1958 and
pastored several Texas churches over the course of his career
before embarking on his 38-year tenure as the spiritual leader of
Lyons Unity Missionary Baptist Church in Houston; and
WHEREAS, A gifted vocalist as well as a dynamic preacher,
Reverend Johnson was featured on many religious recordings,
including "Poor Jesus," "Wonderful," and "Precious Lord"; and
WHEREAS, This highly regarded clergyman worked in behalf of
his faith with both the Home Mission Board of the National
Missionary Baptist Convention of America and the Independent
Missionary Baptist General Association of Texas, which he had
served as secretary; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Johnson married the former Faye Marie
Bennett on June 15, 1957, and the couple were richly blessed with a
fine family including three daughters, two sons who have answered
the call to the ministry, and 13 grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Oliver Charlton Johnson, Sr., was a faithful pastor
and devoted family man who inspired the members of his church and
community; he will long be remembered for his compassion, devotion,
and service to God; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Reverend Oliver
Charlton "O. C." Johnson, Sr., and extend sincere sympathy to his
wife, Faye Marie Johnson; to his daughters and sons-in-law,
Carletta and Edmond Moss, Andrea and Reginald Johnson, and Carla
Faye and Durst Roland Cage; to his sons and daughters-in-law, the
Reverend O. C. Johnson, Jr., and Cathy Johnson, and the Reverend
Orestes Johnson and Stephanie Johnson; to his grandchildren; to his
siblings, Katie Murchison and her husband, O. C., Elizabeth Faye
Duncan, and Glen and Eddie Johnson; and to all those who mourn the
passing of this beloved man; 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 the
Reverend Oliver Charlton Johnson, Sr.
Dutton
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. 1550 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 28, 2003.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House