H.R. No. 2142

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Countless lives were touched by the faith and leadership of Elder Cecil Ray Proctor of DeSoto, who passed away on April 10, 2015, at the age of 69; and

WHEREAS, The son of Herman and Esther Alexander Proctor, Elder Proctor was born on August 11, 1945, in Marquez and was educated in the Frost school district; he married the love of his life, the former Mollie Sharper, on April 25, 1970, and they became the parents of five treasured children, Dawn, Yolanda, LaKitsha, Rachel, and Gilbert; and

WHEREAS, In 1978, Cecil Proctor felt called to the ministry and began hosting a small Bible study group in his home; he became a licensed minister in the Church of God in Christ in 1987 and an ordained elder in 1989; shortly afterward, he organized the Neighborhood House of Prayer in Dallas, a church he guided with selfless devotion for close to four decades; and

WHEREAS, Seeking additional ways to serve the community, Elder Proctor established the Neighborhood Christian Learning Center of Dallas, a licensed early childhood facility that partners with the Dallas Independent School District pre-K school readiness initiative; known to youngsters at NCLC of Dallas as "PaPa," Elder Proctor led the center as its administrator until his health declined, and he saw it recognized by the Texas Education Agency as a Pre-K Center of Excellence; to date, the center has provided services to more than 2,500 children in Dallas County; Elder Proctor was also responsible for founding the Neighborhood Outreach Center of Hope, a 24-hour, faith-based rehabilitation facility and shelter for former inmates and individuals recovering from substance abuse; and

WHEREAS, This esteemed clergyman also rendered outstanding service to the Texas East Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ; in 1984, he became the first adjutant to Bishop James Edward Lee Sr., and he served additionally as assistant to Superintendent Robert L. Nichols Sr. in the Spiritual Life District; and

WHEREAS, Elder Proctor endeared himself to those in and outside his congregation with his sunny demeanor and contagious smile; he reached a wide audience in the Dallas/Fort Worth area through his weekly "Prayer of Faith" radio broadcast, and he often gathered with other pastors, politicians, and local leaders to enjoy a meal and discuss how they could make their community stronger; in 2006, he was honored for his myriad good works with his induction into the Elite News Religious Hall of Fame; and

WHEREAS, With his kind and caring ways, Elder Cecil Ray Proctor uplifted the hearts of numerous people, and he will long be remembered with deep affection by his loved ones and by the dear friends he made along life's journey; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Elder Cecil Ray Proctor and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Mollie M. Proctor; to his daughters, Dawn Washington, Yolanda Coleman and her husband, Anthony, LaKitsha Lee and her husband, James, and Rachel Proctor; to his grandchildren, Keithan Proctor, Jacniqua Washington, Christopher Washington, Shaquira Walker, Jaya Lee, and James Lee III; to his great-grandchildren, Niriyah Gahagan and Khrist'jan Walker; to his siblings, Christine Cotton, Vernel Smith, Eloise Fields, and Johnny Proctor; to his special son, the Reverend Mark Proctor, and his wife, Michelle; and to his many 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Elder Cecil Ray Proctor.

Giddings

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 2142 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 6, 2015.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House