H.R. No. 1869



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The people of Tarrant County are mourning the loss 
of distinguished restaurateur and philanthropist Vance Godbey of 
Azle, who passed away on May 28, 2003, at the age of 83; and
	WHEREAS, Born August 11, 1919, in Springtown, Mr. Godbey 
graduated from North Side High School in 1938; after building 
airplanes for Consolidated Vultee, he joined the U.S. Army Air 
Corps in 1942 and subsequently rose to the rank of sergeant; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Godbey moved to the Lakeside area in 1947 and 
started Godbey's Grocery; forced to close down by a larger company's 
moving into the area, he next owned and operated a popular barbecue 
stand before having his lease canceled; demonstrating admirable 
resilience and determination, he opened Vance Godbey's Restaurant 
on the Jacksboro highway in 1955, providing customers with 
delicious home-style cooking and a spectacular view of Lake Worth; 
and
	WHEREAS, With the later addition of a catering service, the 
business grew to employ a staff of some 80 workers; a generous 
employer, Mr. Godbey offered profit sharing, often paid for 
employees' college expenses, and once sent his staff on a Hawaiian 
vacation; when he retired in the 1990s, he turned the business over 
to his daughters Carol and CK; and
	WHEREAS, In addition to being a successful businessman, Mr. 
Godbey was a public-spirited citizen who contributed to the area in 
a number of ways; a member of the first Lake Worth city council, he 
also played an instrumental role in establishing that town's first 
fire department and served as a volunteer firefighter himself from 
1947 to 1959; moreover, his grocery store did double duty as the 
original fire department; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Godbey touched countless lives with his generous 
donations to area charities, including Loaves and Fishes, the 
Presbyterian Night Shelter, and Restoration Church in Arlington; 
for many years, he provided Thanksgiving dinners through the 
Salvation Army;  after several area firefighters perished while 
combating a blaze in 1999, he opened  his restaurant on Sundays to 
raise money for their families, donating $46,400 to the 
Firefighters 500 Fund, and he gave freely in behalf of the New York 
City firefighters who died in the September 11 terrorist attack; 
and
	WHEREAS, His numerous affiliations included the Grand Lodge 
of Texas, Tarrant Masonic Lodge 942, the NAACP, the Republican 
National Committee, and the Fort Worth Petroleum Club; in 1996, 
both Fort Worth and Tarrant County held Vance Godbey Appreciation 
days in his honor, and three years later he received the 
Congressional Certificate of Recognition from Representative Kay 
Granger; and
	WHEREAS, A member of the First Baptist Church of Lakeside, 
Mr. Godbey was a devoted family man, successful restaurateur, and 
beloved citizen; his family, his friends, and countless fellow 
citizens will long feel the influence he had in their lives, and his 
memory will be preserved in the hearts of those who were fortunate 
enough to know him; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby pay special tribute to the life of Vance Godbey 
and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family:  to his 
wife, Arvella Godbey; to his daughters, Carol Godbey, Cynthia "CK" 
Godbey, Janice Godbey, and Sandy Martin; to his stepchildren, Jim 
Stride, Bobby Garrett, and Sharon Glover; to his grandsons, Micah 
Lauderdale, Zachary Knittle, and Mike Martin; to his 
granddaughters, Leigh Anne Lauderdale and Regina McDonald; to his 
seven step-grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; to his 
brothers-in-law, Herman Brawley, Larry Brawley, Marvin Brawley, 
and Thomas Brawley; and to his many other relatives and 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 Vance 
Godbey.

                                                                           Geren


                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 1869 was unanimously adopted by a 
rising vote of the House on June 1, 2003.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House