H.C.R. No. 137

	HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, A life dedicated to the service of his state and
	nation has drawn to a close with the death of the Honorable Leo
	Berman of Tyler on May 23, 2015, at the age of 79; and
	WHEREAS, Leo Berman was born on October 21, 1935; the son of
	immigrant parents from Poland and Latvia, he earned his bachelor's
	degree in political science from Southern Methodist University and
	then embarked upon an outstanding 22-year career in the U.S. Army;
	and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Berman graduated first in his class at the
	army's Field Artillery School Officer Candidate School, and he also
	received diplomas from the army's Air Defense Artillery and Missile
	School, Armor School, and Command and General Staff College; he
	served two tours of duty in Vietnam, and he held appointment as an
	army liaison to Congress for three years; he retired in 1976 at the
	rank of lieutenant colonel; and
	WHEREAS, This courageous soldier earned numerous military
	awards, including three Bronze Stars, the Meritorious Service
	Medal, nine Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf
	cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster,
	and the Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars, as
	well as the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm and the
	Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal first class; in 2009,
	he was promoted to colonel in the Texas State Guard, and his state
	awards included the Texas Distinguished Service Medal, the Texas
	Outstanding Service Medal, the Texas Medal of Merit, the Texas
	Federal Service Medal, and the Texas State Guard Service Medal; and
	WHEREAS, After returning to civilian life, Mr. Berman worked
	as a public affairs executive for Sun Exploration and Production
	Company from 1980 to 1991; he also threw himself into public
	service, seeking and winning election to the Arlington City Council
	in 1979 and serving six years, including two as mayor pro tem; in
	addition, he received gubernatorial appointments to the board of
	the Texas Army National Guard Armory and to the Texas Advisory
	Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, which he also chaired;
	and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Berman first won election to the Texas
	Legislature in 1998, and he served seven terms, until 2013; during
	his exemplary 14-year tenure as the state representative from
	District 6, he chaired the Committee on Elections and the Committee
	on Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Subcommittee on
	Budget and Oversight and served as vice chair of the Committee on
	House Administration; his other committee assignments included
	Appropriations, Higher Education, and Government Reform;
	Mr. Berman's accomplishments included helping The University of
	Texas at Tyler start a nursing program; he was especially attentive
	to the concerns of his individual constituents, and he took pride in
	the fact that he answered every phone call, e-mail, and letter
	personally; and
	WHEREAS, A man of strong Christian faith, Leo Berman attended
	Christ Episcopal Church in Tyler, where he was a leading lay member;
	he also gave generously of his time and talents as a member of the
	executive committee of the East Texas Area Council of the Boy Scouts
	of America and as a board member of the Bethesda Health Clinic in
	Tyler, East Texas Meals on Wheels, Texas College, and the Arc of
	Smith County, which named him board member emeritus; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Berman's first wife, Cara Sue Hughey Berman,
	predeceased him, and later in life, he was fortunate to find love
	again with his second wife, Dr. Lou Ann Berman; he was the father of
	five children, and he was blessed with seven grandchildren; and
	WHEREAS, A devoted family man and a dedicated public servant,
	Leo Berman fought passionately for the ideals and principles in
	which he believed, and the legacy he leaves behind will continue to
	inspire all those who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas
	hereby pay tribute to the life of Leo Berman and extend sincere
	condolences to his wife, Dr. Lou Ann Berman, to his children,
	grandchildren and great-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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of
	the Honorable Leo Berman.
	Hughes
	Flynn
	Schaefer
	Thompson of Harris
	Craddick
	Straus González Otto
	Allen Guerra Paddie
	Alonzo Guillen Parker
	Alvarado Gutierrez Paul
	Anchia Harless Peña
	Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan
	Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips
	Ashby Howard Pickett
	Aycock Huberty Price
	Bell Hughes Raney
	Bernal Hunter Raymond
	Blanco Isaac Reynolds
	Bohac Israel Riddle
	Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi
	Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar
	Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis
	Burns Keough Romero, Jr.
	Burrows King of Hemphill Rose
	Button King of Parker Sanford
	Canales King of Taylor Schaefer
	Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield
	Clardy Klick Schubert
	Coleman Koop Shaheen
	Collier Krause Sheets
	Cook Kuempel Sheffield
	Craddick Landgraf Simmons
	Crownover Larson Simpson
	Cyrier Laubenberg Smith
	Dale Leach Smithee
	Darby Longoria Spitzer
	Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer
	Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson
	Deshotel Márquez Stickland
	Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
	Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
	Elkins McClendon Tinderholt
	Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin
	Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris
	Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant
	Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver
	Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba
	Fletcher Minjarez Vo
	Flynn Moody Walle
	Frank Morrison White of Bell
	Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
	Galindo Murphy Workman
	Geren Murr Wray
	Giddings Naishtat Wu
	Goldman Nevárez Zedler
	Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.C.R. No. 137 was unanimously adopted by a
	rising vote of the House on May 29, 2015.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.C.R. No. 137 was adopted by the Senate on May
	29, 2015, by a viva-voce vote.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor