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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Amarillo lost an exemplary public |
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official with the passing of city council member James Harold Simms |
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on November 12, 2014, at the age of 73; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Amarillo on January 1, 1941, Jim Simms was |
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raised in Clovis, New Mexico, and pursued his college education at |
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Eastern New Mexico University, where he earned degrees in business, |
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finance, and psychology; and |
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WHEREAS, Following graduation, Mr. Simms settled in |
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Amarillo; he operated the Mitchell Electric Company for 28 years |
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before selling the business in 1999, then worked for another 11 |
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years as a vice president of Amarillo National Bank; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Simms began his distinguished career in public |
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service in 1982, when he was elected to the board of the Amarillo |
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Independent School District, and he held that office for five |
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years, including a stint as board president; during the 1990s, he |
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was president of the Amarillo Hospital District board of managers; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 2005, this respected civic leader was elected as |
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the Place 4 representative on the Amarillo City Commission, and he |
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went on to earn reelection four times, most recently in May 2013, |
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six months before the city commission converted to a council; |
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during his time in city government, he worked tirelessly to benefit |
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his community and played an important role in securing additional |
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water resources and furthering economic development efforts; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Simms was active in state government as well, |
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accepting appointments from Governor George W. Bush as executive |
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chair of the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of |
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Texas and from Governor Rick Perry to become a member of the State |
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Securities Board; in addition, he was president of Kids Inc. and of |
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the Children's Learning Centers board of directors, and he worked |
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with United Way of Amarillo and Canyon; in recognition of his |
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accomplishments, he was named Man of the Year by the Amarillo |
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Globe-News in 1997; and |
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WHEREAS, A caring husband and father, Mr. Simms shared a |
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rewarding 57-year marriage with his wife, Freeda; they raised three |
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children, Jane, J. Fred, and Lee, and with the passing years, they |
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had the pleasure of seeing their family grow to include six |
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grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of great integrity and ability, Jim Simms |
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dedicated himself to serving the city that he loved, and he leaves |
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behind a legacy of generosity and civic engagement that will |
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continue to inspire all those who had the good fortune to know him; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the life of James Harold Simms and extend |
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sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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Freeda Simms; to his children, Jane Simms Gillette and her husband, |
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Greg, J. Fred Simms and his wife, Whitney, and Lee Simms and his |
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wife, Theresa; to his grandchildren, Jacob Gillette and Lila, |
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Benjamin, Luke, Ruby, and Fred Simms; to his brother, Mickey Simms, |
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and his wife, Irene; to his nephews, Gerald Wade Simms, Mitch Simms |
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and his wife, Mychelle, and their sons, Paden and Garret, and Gary |
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Simms and his wife, Amy, and their daughters, Rylee and Haley; and |
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to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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James Harold Simms. |