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