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                                                                  H.R. No. 240


R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The citizens of Rockdale lost a valued friend and much-admired community leader with the untimely passing of W. T. "Bill" Eckert, Jr., on December 5, 2005; and WHEREAS, A native of the Lone Star State, Mr. Eckert spent his formative years in McCamey and attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a bachelor's degree in engineering; as a young man, he gained employment with Alcoa's Rockdale operations, serving the company in many capacities during the course of his distinguished 35-year tenure; in his most recent position as primary metals strategic project manager, he was instrumental in brokering an agreement with TXU Energy that would bring a new power plant to the area; and WHEREAS, Mr. Eckert was dedicated to the betterment of his adopted hometown; appointed to the Richards Memorial Healthcare Systems board in October 2000, at a time when the hospital had recently filed for bankruptcy, he was named chairman three years later, and his determined and effective leadership was integral in reestablishing the economic vitality of RMHS; thanks in part to his efforts, the group was able to expand, buying out the former Rockdale Medical Association Clinic, opening a 24-hour treatment center, and starting an assisted living program; and WHEREAS, In addition to his work with RMHS, this esteemed Texan was a member of the Longhorn Foundation, and he brought his wealth of knowledge and experience to the Texas State Technical College board of directors; and WHEREAS, Above all else, Mr. Eckert was devoted to his family, including his wife, Karen, and his children, Travis and Jennifer; and WHEREAS, Throughout his lifetime, Bill Eckert exemplified the highest standards of integrity, hard work, and dedication to his community, and though he will be deeply missed, his legacy of good works will live on; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of W. T. "Bill" Eckert, Jr., and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Karen Eckert; to his son, Travis Eckert; to his daughter, Jennifer Shinners; to his mother and father-in-law, Louis and Lucille Rubino; 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 Bill Eckert. Gattis Craddick Giddings McReynolds Allen Gonzales Menendez Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Merritt Anchia Goodman Miller Anderson Goolsby Moreno Bailey Griggs Morrison Berman Grusendorf Mowery Blake Guillen Naishtat Bohac Haggerty Nixon Bonnen Hamilton Noriega Branch Hamric Oliveira Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Olivo Brown of Brazos Harper-Brown Orr Burnam Hartnett Otto Callegari Hegar Paxton Campbell Hernandez Pena Casteel Herrero Phillips Castro Hilderbran Pickett Chavez Hill Pitts Chisum Hochberg Puente Coleman Hodge Quintanilla Cook of Navarro Homer Raymond Cook of Colorado Hope Reyna Corte Hopson Riddle Crabb Howard of Fort Bend Ritter Crownover Howard of Travis Rodriguez Davis of Harris Hughes Rose Davis of Dallas Hunter Seaman Dawson Hupp Smith of Tarrant Delisi Isett Smith of Harris Denny Jackson Smithee Deshotel Jones of Lubbock Solis Driver Jones of Dallas Solomons Dukes Keel Strama Dunnam Keffer of Dallas Straus Dutton Keffer of Eastland Swinford Edwards King of Parker Talton Eiland King of Zavala Taylor Eissler Kolkhorst Thompson Elkins Krusee Truitt England Kuempel Turner Escobar Laney Uresti Farabee Laubenberg Van Arsdale Farrar Leibowitz Veasey Flores Luna Villarreal Flynn Madden Vo Frost Martinez West Gallego Martinez Fischer Wong Gattis McCall Woolley Geren McClendon Zedler ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 240 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 4, 2006. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House