H.R. No. 1039

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost a respected educator with
	the death of former Mesquite Independent School District
	superintendent Dr. Ralph Harris Poteet, who passed away on
	September 23, 2012, at the age of 86; and
	WHEREAS, Born in Desdemona on July 12, 1926, to Sybil and
	William Poteet, Ralph Poteet attended Stephenville High School and
	graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown; he served his
	country in World War II and continued his education with graduate
	studies at The University of Texas at Austin and UT Arlington; he
	received his doctorate from East Texas State University; and
	WHEREAS, Dr. Poteet began his career in education in Bartlett
	in 1949, serving as a teacher, coach, and principal; he moved to
	Mesquite in 1955 to work as the head football coach, and five years
	later he was appointed business manager for the district; he served
	as assistant superintendent before being named district
	superintendent in 1964; and
	WHEREAS, For 22 years, Dr. Poteet oversaw Mesquite ISD, ably
	guiding district schools through a period of significant growth;
	during his tenure, the district expanded to include 29 schools, and
	30 new buildings were constructed on area campuses; Dr. Poteet was
	an energetic and visionary administrator who emphasized discipline
	and hard work, and he helped the district become one of the most
	innovative school systems in Texas, establishing the first public
	school radio station, along with a public school television station
	and a planetarium that were also among the earliest in the state;
	moreover, he created a school-community partnership program that
	established a park along with each new school; and
	WHEREAS, Dr. Poteet was recognized with numerous awards for
	his leadership, including a Texas Superintendent of the Year
	regional award, the National Leadership Award from the National
	School Development Council, and the Outstanding Leadership Award
	from Phi Delta Kappa International, and he was named Mesquite
	Citizen of the Year twice; for his retirement in 1986, President
	Ronald Reagan, Texas Governor Mark White, and many other elected
	officials sent congratulatory letters; moreover, a new high school,
	the fourth in the district, was named for him, and his initials of
	RHP inspired the school's motto, "Respect, Honor, and Pride"; and
	WHEREAS, Following his retirement, Dr. Poteet continued to
	serve as a consultant with the district; he published articles on
	education in several magazines and served as an adjunct professor
	at East Texas State University; he further shared his time and
	talents as the chair of Keep Mesquite Beautiful, as a director of
	the Dallas County Appraisal District and the Christian Care Center,
	and as a member of the local Lions Club and chamber of commerce and
	the North Texas Council of Governments; and
	WHEREAS, A man of faith, Dr. Poteet belonged to the Church of
	Christ and served his congregation as a deacon and elder; in all of
	his endeavors, he enjoyed the love and support of his wife of 65
	years, Anne Thomas Poteet, and he took great pride in their
	daughter, Carol Anne Tipton, and her husband, Steve, as well as in
	their grandsons, Casey, Jake, and Zach Tipton; and
	WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family, his profession, and
	his community, Dr. Ralph Poteet made a positive difference in the
	lives of countless area Texans, and he leaves behind a legacy that
	will resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
	Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Dr. Ralph Poteet and
	extend deepest sympathy to his friends and loved ones; 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 Dr. Ralph
	Poteet.
	Sheets
	Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
	Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
	Alonzo Gooden Otto
	Alvarado Guerra Paddie
	Anchia Guillen Parker
	Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
	Ashby Harless Perez
	Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
	Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
	Bohac Herrero Pickett
	Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
	Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
	Branch Huberty Raney
	Burkett Hughes Ratliff
	Burnam Hunter Raymond
	Button Isaac Reynolds
	Callegari Johnson Riddle
	Canales Kacal Ritter
	Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
	Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
	Clardy King of Parker Rose
	Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
	Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
	Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
	Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
	Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
	Creighton Krause Simmons
	Crownover Kuempel Simpson
	Dale Larson Smith
	Darby Laubenberg Smithee
	Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
	J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
	S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
	Deshotel Longoria Strama
	Dukes Lozano Taylor
	Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
	Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
	Elkins Martinez Toth
	Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
	Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
	Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
	Farrar Miles Villalba
	Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
	Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
	Frank Moody Walle
	Frullo Morrison White
	Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
	Giddings Murphy Wu
	Goldman Naishtat Zedler
	Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 1039 was unanimously adopted by a rising
	vote of the House on March 27, 2013.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House