H.R. No. 2228
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
 
         WHEREAS, A remarkable life dedicated to inspiring students
  with a love of all creatures great and small has drawn to a close
  with the passing of Jim Dunlap of Dallas on April 5, 2015, at the age
  of 70; and
         WHEREAS, Jim Dunlap was born in Waco on October 10, 1944, and
  he moved with his family to the Dallas area when he was two years
  old; his fascination with animals was evident from an early age when
  he used to bring them to share with his schoolmates on the
  playground, holding up a lizard to draw a crowd; by the time he was
  10, he had collected 52 box turtles; when his mother balked at
  letting all his critters in the house, his father built a shed for
  his collection in the backyard; and
         WHEREAS, After graduating from Mesquite High School,
  Mr. Dunlap served in the U.S. Army for three years, and he worked as
  a police officer in University Park in order to put himself through
  North Texas State University, earning a bachelor's degree in
  education as well as a master's degree; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap began his career with the Lewisville
  Independent School District before joining the Plano ISD, where
  over the course of 34 years, he became a beloved biology teacher and
  mentor to generations of students, with whom he especially enjoyed
  sharing his enthusiasm for wild animals; and
         WHEREAS, Known affectionately as "the snake man" or "the
  animal guy," Mr. Dunlap amassed such a large collection that the
  school district gave him his own building at the Holifield Science
  Learning Center in 1989; known as the Living Materials Center, it
  became a haven for unwanted or abused animals, and through the years
  it offered thousands of delighted schoolchildren the chance to meet
  such diverse creatures as bobcats, monkeys, buzzards, and the star
  of Mr. Dunlap's menagerie, a giant Burmese python named Katy; and
         WHEREAS, In addition to his work as a teacher, Mr. Dunlap
  authored seven books, often appeared on television to talk about
  animals, and wrote a column for the local paper called "Backyard
  Zoo"; he was recognized as the Humane Educator of the Year in 1993
  and 2008 by the Texas Animal Control Association, and when he
  retired from teaching in 2010, the center was rededicated as the Jim
  Dunlap Living Materials Center in his honor; even in retirement, he
  continued to volunteer at the center three days a week, as well as
  at the Dallas Zoo; and
         WHEREAS, During summer vacations, when the schools were
  closed, Mr. Dunlap often brought animals home with him, and his
  wife, Peggy, who died in 2013, lovingly supported him in all his
  endeavors, allowing their home to be inhabited by monkeys, snakes,
  and all manner of creatures; Mr. Dunlap was further blessed with
  the love of his two children, Sid and Erin, and his two
  grandchildren, Stella and Sofia; and
         WHEREAS, A gifted teacher, Jim Dunlap shared his joy in the
  magnificent diversity of the animal kingdom with generations of
  Texans, and the memory of his intellectual curiosity and spirit of
  adventure will continue to enrich the lives of all those who were
  privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
  Legislature pay tribute to the life of Jim Dunlap and extend sincere
  condolences to the members of his family: to his son, Scott Dunlap,
  and his wife, Lisa; to his daughter, Erin Dunlap Martinez, and her
  husband, Mike; to his sister, Paula Mischel; to his grandchildren,
  Stella and Sofia Martinez; to his niece, Tracy Barr; to his
  mother-in-law, Polly Wilds; 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jim Dunlap.
 
  Leach
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 2228 was unanimously adopted by a
  rising vote of the House on May 21, 2015.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House