80R8216 JH-D

By: Goolsby H.R. No. 1952

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The city of Dallas lost a visionary media executive and a generous philanthropist and civic leader with the passing of James M. Moroney, Jr., on February 18, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Born in Dallas on July 10, 1921, Jimmy Moroney came from a distinguished Texas family that included George Bannerman Dealey, his grandfather, who founded the Dallas Morning News; in time, Jimmy Moroney joined the paper himself and later took the helm of the Belo Corporation, the parent company of the Morning News, and his astute leadership helped build it into one of the nation's largest publicly traded media organizations; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Moroney's involvement with the Dallas Morning News began in 1946, shortly after he had concluded his World War II Navy service; his first job was as a reporter, and he held a succession of other positions over the next five years; he next turned his attention to the Belo Corporation, where he joined the board of directors in 1952 and became part of the executive management team; and

WHEREAS, In the 1970s and early 1980s, Jimmy Moroney helped bring about the transformation of Belo into a publicly traded company; this period also saw him take on the management of the Dallas Morning News by becoming the paper's president and chief executive officer in 1980 and helping to chart its course over the following years; moreover, he continued his rise to the top of the parent company; in the early 1980s, he assumed the positions of president, chief executive officer, and board chair and skillfully supervised the corporation's growth; he retired from many of his duties in 1986, but served on the board of directors until 2000; and

WHEREAS, Business was just one aspect of Mr. Moroney's life; he devoted time and financial support to a wide range of charitable causes and community organizations, including the Children's Medical Center Dallas, St. Paul Medical Center, and the Southwestern Medical Foundation; his longtime service as a member of the board of directors for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas was recognized with the Theodore P. Beasley Award in 1990; and

WHEREAS, A member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dallas for more than half a century, he was active in church-related organizations such as the Catholic Foundation and the National Conference on Catholic Charities, and he helped guide several of the state's Catholic educational institutions, including the University of Dallas, where he served as chair of the board of trustees, the Cistercian Preparatory School, and the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas; in addition, a financial gift from Mr. Moroney and his wife, Helen, was instrumental in the construction of the bell tower at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Dallas; in honor of his many contributions to the Diocese of Dallas, he received the Catholic Foundation Award in 2003; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his public acts of giving, Mr. Moroney also performed private acts of kindness by helping strangers in need, transporting the elderly to medical appointments, and volunteering for Meals on Wheels deliveries; these actions, as well as his many philanthropic gifts, speak to the essential compassion of Jimmy Moroney; his abiding concern for his fellow citizens and his remarkable business achievements stand as an inspiring combination of personal success and public generosity; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of James M. Moroney, Jr., and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife of 53 years, Helen Claire Wilhoit Moroney; to his children, James M. Moroney III, Michael Moroney, Molly Moroney Norrett, and Mindy Moroney Penrose; to his six grandchildren; and to his 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 Jimmy Moroney.