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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Nacogdoches lost one of its most admired civic |
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leaders with the passing of former mayor James E. Raney on June 21, |
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2014, at the age of 74; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of James Nathan Raney and Maurine Key Raney, |
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James Raney was born in Madisonville on February 25, 1940; the |
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family relocated to Huntsville in 1950, and he graduated from |
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Huntsville High School; after completing his bachelor's degree, he |
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served his country in the United States Army and Army Reserve for |
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six years, attaining the rank of first lieutenant; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Raney married his childhood sweetheart, the |
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former Sandra Hill, on January 27, 1962, and they became the proud |
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parents of two daughters, Penny and Julie; in 1966, the couple moved |
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to Nacogdoches, where they opened the Varsity Book Store, an |
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enterprise they continued to run for nearly four decades; Mr. Raney |
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was an especially kind and caring employer, and he was a mentor and |
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role model to many young people; following the death of his wife in |
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2009, he was fortunate enough to find love again with the former |
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Vida Lynne Kowalski, and they wed on June 23, 2012; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply committed to his community, Mr. Raney |
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devoted much of his life to public service; he was a trustee of the |
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Nacogdoches Independent School District for nine years and served |
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as its president, and during a decadelong tenure on the city |
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commission, he served for two years as mayor; moreover, he was a |
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member of the Criminal Justice Task Force Commission, and Governor |
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Bill Clements also appointed him twice as chair of the Deep East |
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Texas Council of Governments Regional Review Committee; he was |
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later named to the board of the Angelina and Neches River Authority |
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by Governor Rick Perry; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan gave freely of his time and |
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talents as master of Milam Lodge No. 2, as a member of all York Rite |
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Bodies, as a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, and as a Shriner; in |
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addition, he belonged to Safari Club International, and he was a |
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life member of both the Texas State Rifle Association and the |
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National Rifle Association; he was on the board of the Nacogdoches |
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Rotary Club, and he served as president of the Nacogdoches Booster |
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Club; moreover, he was a member of the Sons of the Republic of |
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Texas; a faithful Episcopalian, he was a senior warden at Christ |
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Church, where he served on the Vestry; and |
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WHEREAS, Setting an inspiring example of warmth, compassion, |
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and integrity, James Raney was a true gentleman, and he |
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demonstrated good will and generosity toward all; his legacy of |
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service will continue to resonate in his hometown and beyond, and |
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those who were fortunate enough to know him will forever remember |
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the tremendous positive influence he had on their lives; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of James E. Raney and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Vida Lynne Kowalski Raney; to his daughters, Penny Raney and |
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Julie Raney Williams and her husband, Kirby; to his grandchildren, |
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Kate, Claire, and Dray Schmidt and Sam, Avery, and Zoe Williams; to |
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his brother, State Representative John N. Raney, and his wife, |
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Elizabeth; to his sisters, Theda Raney Flournoy and Eileen Thrash |
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and her husband, John; and to his other relatives and many friends; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas House |
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of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of James E. |
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Raney. |