SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 81

In Memory

of

S. M. True, Jr.

WHEREAS, S. M. True, Jr., former president of the Texas Farm Bureau, passed away on May 15, 2012, at the age of 88; and

WHEREAS, The son of Snoden Maddox and Nettie Belle Stalcup True, S. M. True was born in Goree on July 8, 1923, and raised on a farm; in 1933, his family relocated to the Snyder community near Plainview, and he graduated from Plainview High School before enrolling and attending classes at Texas Tech University; when World War II intervened, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a carrier-based night fighter pilot; and

WHEREAS, Following the war, Mr. True returned to Hale County and began his career as a farmer; active in the Hale County Farm Bureau for a number of years, he went on to serve on the board of directors of the Texas Farm Bureau; he was elected president of the Texas Farm Bureau in 1982, and in his 11 years in that post, he made an indelible mark on both the organization and on the greater agricultural community; he oversaw the creation of the TFB AGFUND, which has since become a nationally recognized agriculture political action committee; along the way, he earned a reputation as a passionate advocate for Texas farmers and an effective consensus builder; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his work with the Texas Farm Bureau, this esteemed Texan was appointed to the Governor's Task Force on Immigration and Agricultural Development, the Joint Committee on Farmworker Insurance, and the Texas Family Farm and Ranch Advisory Committee; he served on a multitude of agriculture and farm insurance boards, including that of the American Farm Bureau Federation, which honored him with its Meritorious Service Award; among his numerous other accolades were his induction into the State Fair of Texas Heritage Hall of Honor and his recognition as a Distinguished Texan in Agriculture by the Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and

WHEREAS, Mr. True shared more than six rewarding decades with his wife, the former Anna Jean Roberts, whom he married in 1946; the couple were blessed with a son, David; over the years, Mrs. Roberts frequently accompanied her husband to many Texas Farm Bureau events across the state and beyond; and

WHEREAS, During his lifetime, S. M. True contributed immeasurably to Texas agriculture, helping to preserve the livelihood of countless farmers across the state, and his legacy will be a continuing source of inspiration for all who knew him; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the memory of S. M. True, Jr., and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his son, David True, and his wife, Linda; to his grandchildren, Blaine True and Larissa True; to his brother, Riley True, and his wife, Margaret; to his sister, Ona Belle Stephens, and her husband, Bill; to his nephew, Mark True, and his wife, Mary; to Eric Plumlee; to Ahmet and Gonul Yilmaz; 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 Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of S. M. True, Jr.

Duncan

________________________________

President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on January 30, 2013, by a rising vote.

________________________________

Secretary of the Senate

________________________________

Member, Texas Senate