79R14019 MAM-D

By:  Cook of Navarro                                              H.R. No. 1452



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The citizens of Corsicana lost a dedicated public 
servant, longtime educator, role model, and friend with the passing 
of Olin Nickleberry on April 13, 2005, at the age of 75; and
	WHEREAS, Born on August 7, 1929, in Marietta, Texas, Mr. 
Nickleberry was the oldest son in a family of nine children; raised 
on a farm, he worked hard and developed a sense of responsibility 
from a young age, and the size of his family also provided him with 
early lessons in the importance of sharing and teamwork; as a young 
adult, he won a basketball scholarship to Bishop College, where he 
was voted most outstanding athlete and earned his bachelor's degree 
in education; after graduation, he put his career plans on hold for 
two years to serve as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army; in 1965, he 
moved to Corsicana to accept the position of head basketball coach 
at G. W. Jackson High School, and he later earned his master's 
degree in physical education and his certification in special 
education from East Texas State University; and
	WHEREAS, During the course of his life, this esteemed 
gentleman was a teacher, a coach, and a special needs instructor in 
the Corsicana and Blooming Grove public school districts; his 
lifelong involvement in sports began as a player and extended to his 
years as a coach and as a referee, an avocation he pursued for 50 
years; drawing on the discipline he learned in the army and the 
insight he gained through his many years officiating at sporting 
events, he brought consistency and fairness to his service in 
public office, which began in 1991, when he became the first African 
American commissioner in Navarro County, a post to which he was 
elected three times; and
	WHEREAS, A deeply spiritual man and devout Christian, Mr. 
Nickleberry was a faithful member of Bethlehem Baptist Church for 
40 years and served as a deacon and chair of the deacon staff; and
	WHEREAS, In addition to numerous other affiliations, Mr. 
Nickleberry was a member of the VFW in Corsicana and the Kerens and 
Corsicana/Navarro County chambers of commerce, a charter member of 
the Central Texas Baseball Umpires Association, a former vice 
president of the Texas Association for Adult and Continuing 
Education, and a former president of the Sunrise Lions Club; and
	WHEREAS, The strength of our communities depends on the 
dedication of individuals like Olin Nickleberry, who spent his life 
nurturing the development of young people while working tirelessly 
to improve the city of Corsicana; though it is impossible to gauge 
the full effect of a man's life, some individuals leave their 
unmistakable mark on the world as they move through it, and Olin 
Nickleberry's contributions to his fellow Texans will continue to 
resonate for many years in the lives of all who knew him; now, 
therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Olin Nickleberry and 
extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, 
Edith Iles-Nickleberry; to his daughters, Oretha Nickleberry and 
Brenda Gardner and her husband, Arcraig; to his grandchildren, 
DeShawn Gardner II and Brendé Gardner; to his brothers, Joe 
Nickleberry, Vernon Nickleberry, and Benny Nickleberry and his 
wife, Margie; to his sister, Lois Nickleberry and her husband, 
Willis; 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 Olin 
Nickleberry.