H.R. No. 1807

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the loved ones of former Plano mayor Robert Lee Harrington, Jr., who passed away on February 17, 2010, at the age of 76; and

WHEREAS, Born in Plano on March 7, 1933, Rob Harrington was the son of Robert Lee Harrington and Donna Boggess Harrington; he graduated from Plano High School and Texas Technological College; in 1953, he married the former Ann Cordell, and they later became the parents of four children, Robin, Ginger, Bill, and Suzan; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Harrington was devoted to his family, and he abandoned his own early career plans to return home and care for his brother after a car accident; Mr. Harrington took on management of the family farm, which his great-grandfather had received in a land patent from Sam Houston in 1842, and he tended selflessly to his parents as well; and

WHEREAS, After the birth of his two oldest children, Mr. Harrington entered the insurance business and met immediate success; he cofounded Harrington-Patton Insurance Agency in 1964, and he also excelled as a real estate broker; the Collin County Board of Realtors named him Outstanding Director four times; during the 1980s, he helped found United City Corp., and he maintained ranching and farming interests around the state; and

WHEREAS, This visionary leader began his tenure in public service in 1964 when he became the youngest mayor in Texas; during his two terms, he led efforts to create a master plan, making Plano one of the first cities to adopt such a blueprint for managing future growth, and he worked to establish many departments, including the parks department, and to set aside land for public parks to benefit future generations; he was a member of the city council from 1971 to 1972, and he further served the community as the charter president of the Plano Jaycees and as organizer of the Plano YMCA; he gave generously of his time and talents to numerous other organizations, and he was an active member of First Christian Church; and

WHEREAS, Committed to civic engagement, Mr. Harrington joined with other citizens to found the Republican Party in Collin County; he served as judge in the county's first GOP primary election since Reconstruction; John Connally presented him with the John McVeigh Award in 1979, and he received numerous other accolades; a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, he was an avid hunter, and he enjoyed gardening and spending time with his family and faithful dog; his warmth and compassion won him myriad friends, and he had the rare ability to make everyone he encountered feel special; and

WHEREAS, Through his enduring dedication to his family and his community, Rob Harrington made a lasting, positive difference in the lives of his neighbors and loved ones, and he will long be remembered with admiration and affection; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Robert Lee Harrington, Jr., and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Ann Cordell Harrington; to his children, Robin Brady and her husband, Scott, Ginger Ellis and her husband, Kirby, Bill Harrington and his wife, Evelyn, and Suzan Zakrzewski and her husband, Devin; to his grandchildren, Matthew and Caroline Brady, Meredith Ellis, Shara, Tori, and Heather Harrington, and J. D. and Julia Zakrzewski; 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 Robert Lee Harrington, Jr.

Madden

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 1807 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 19, 2011.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House