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By: Hunter H.R. No. 160
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives takes great
pleasure in honoring North's Funeral Home on the celebration of its
100th year of business; and
WHEREAS, North's Funeral Home began as a funeral home
operated by Mr. Dan T. Laughter in 1905 as he became one of the first
licensed funeral directors between Fort Worth and El Paso and
guided the funeral home into a business success using a horse-drawn
hearse that served many towns in the Big Country region; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Laughter opened the first funeral home on
Sycamore Street and later moved it to its current location at North
Third and Orange Streets, which he operated from until 1945 when he
personally selected Mr. and Mrs. Russell W. North as his
successors; and
WHEREAS, Russell and Willena North were both licensed funeral
directors, and at the time Mrs. North was one of the first ladies to
be a licensed funeral director and Mr. North had been educated on
the art of embalming in St. Louis; and
WHEREAS, the North's built the first funeral chapel in
Abilene in 1948 and began operating an ambulance service, with the
addition of air ambulance/hearse were added later with their sons
as pilots, which two of their sons also became licensed morticians;
and
WHEREAS, one of the North's sons, Jack North, has worked for
the family funeral home business since 1967, and Jack became the
director of the funeral home in 1979 after the death of his father,
Mr. Russell; and
WHEREAS, Jack North and his wife, Sandie, have become leaders
in the Abilene community with Mr. North having an extensive
knowledge of the history of Abilene and is the author of two books,
one of which is a comedic book regarding growing up in the funeral
home business; and
WHEREAS, Jack and Sandie North continue to serve the citizens
of Abilene well with the operation of the funeral home and sincere
assistance to the families that have loved ones that are brought to
North's funeral home; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas
Legislature hereby commend North's funeral home for its 100th year
of operation and to Jack and Sandie North for their successful
operation of the business and their service to the Abilene
community; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for North's Funeral Home as an expression of high regard
from the Texas House of Representatives.