|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The passing of Dallas County Constable Cleophas |
|
R. Steele Jr. on February 18, 2015, at the age of 69, concluded a |
|
remarkable life of service to the North Texas community; and |
|
WHEREAS, Cleo Steele was born in Dallas on July 13, 1945, the |
|
son of Myrtis and Cleophas R. Steele Sr.; a graduate of the |
|
University of Oklahoma, he was the first African American from |
|
Dallas County to earn a juris doctor degree from the Southern |
|
Methodist University School of Law; and |
|
WHEREAS, Following a stint with the Dallas Legal Services |
|
Project, during which he provided assistance to low-income clients |
|
in civil matters, this pioneering attorney established one of the |
|
first black law firms in Dallas in the early 1970s; he worked |
|
concurrently for a time as an associate municipal judge, and in 1976 |
|
he became one of the first African American justices of the peace in |
|
Dallas County; Judge Steele retired as JP in 2006, after three |
|
decades in office, but his dedication to the greater good drew him |
|
back to public service in 2012, when he accepted an appointment as |
|
constable of Precinct 1; two years later, he won election to that |
|
position; and |
|
WHEREAS, A champion of social justice throughout his career, |
|
Judge Steele played a role in the Tasby case, which helped to |
|
desegregate area schools, and in later years, he worked with his |
|
wife, Barbara, to establish the C.A.W. Clark Legal Clinic, which |
|
opened in 1989; and |
|
WHEREAS, Despite his many professional responsibilities, |
|
Judge Steele gave generously of his time and talents to numerous |
|
civic organizations, holding leadership positions in such groups as |
|
the DISD Ad Hoc Committee on Institutional Racism, the Walker Fair |
|
Housing Agency, the Dallas Alliance, and the Boy Scouts of America; |
|
the dean of African American lawyers in Dallas, he also served as |
|
president of the J. L. Turner Legal Association; in addition, he was |
|
a valued member of Good Street Baptist Church, where he served on |
|
the board of deacons and the board of trustees; and |
|
WHEREAS, Over the years, Judge Steele received a host of |
|
honors for his efforts, including the MLK Justice Award from the |
|
Dallas Bar Association, the Urban League Legacy Award, and the |
|
NAACP Community Service Award; and |
|
WHEREAS, This devoted family man enjoyed the love and |
|
encouragement of his wife, Barbara, in all of his endeavors, and he |
|
took great pride in his six children, Sheri, Keffus, Sharron, |
|
Cheronda, Cleophas, and Chrystal, and his grandson, Donald; and |
|
WHEREAS, Admired for his consummate grace under pressure, |
|
Cleo Steele made a meaningful difference in his community, and his |
|
achievements as a civic leader and as a trailblazer will remain an |
|
enduring source of inspiration in the years to come; now, |
|
therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Cleophas R. Steele |
|
Jr. and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
|
wife, Barbara P. Steele; to his children, Sheri, Keffus, Sharron, |
|
Cheronda, Cleophas, and Chrystal; to his grandson, Donald Crear |
|
Jr.; to his goddaughter, J'Benet Moore; to his sister, Evelyn |
|
Yvonne Steele; to his brothers, Jonathan Steele and his wife, |
|
Jacquelyn, Kerry Steele and his wife, Alexis, and Basil Steele and |
|
his wife, Brenda; and to his other relatives and many 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Cleophas |
|
R. Steele Jr. |
|
|
Johnson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anderson of Dallas |
Herrero |
Phelan |
|
|
Anderson of McLennan |
Howard |
Phillips |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bonnen of Brazoria |
Johnson |
Riddle |
|
|
Bonnen of Galveston |
Kacal |
Rinaldi |
|
|
Burkett |
Keffer |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
|
|
Burns |
Keough |
Rodriguez of Travis |
|
|
Burrows |
King of Hemphill |
Romero, Jr. |
|
|
Button |
King of Parker |
Rose |
|
|
Canales |
King of Taylor |
Sanford |
|
|
Capriglione |
King of Uvalde |
Schaefer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Craddick |
Landgraf |
Simmons |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Davis of Dallas |
Longoria |
Spitzer |
|
|
Davis of Harris |
Lozano |
Springer |
|
|
Deshotel |
Lucio III |
Stephenson |
|
|
|
|
Dutton |
Martinez |
Thompson of Brazoria |
|
|
Elkins |
Martinez Fischer |
Thompson of Harris |
|
|
Faircloth |
McClendon |
Tinderholt |
|
|
Fallon |
Menéndez |
Turner of Collin |
|
|
Farias |
Metcalf |
Turner of Harris |
|
|
Farney |
Meyer |
Turner of Tarrant |
|
|
|
|
Fletcher |
Miller of Comal |
Villalba |
|
|
Flynn |
Miller of Fort Bend |
Vo |
|
|
|
|
Frullo |
Morrison |
White of Bell |
|
|
Galindo |
Muñoz, Jr. |
White of Tyler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Speaker of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 662 was unanimously adopted by a rising |
|
vote of the House on February 24, 2015. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|