H.R. No. 245

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The Harris County Historical Commission and Second Chance Outreach are hosting the dedication of a county historical marker at Rest Lawn Cemetery in Houston on March 16, 2019; and

WHEREAS, One of the oldest cemeteries in the African American community of Acres Homes, Rest Lawn was established in 1932 by Mrs. Robert E. Doty, who set aside two acres for burials in a 10-acre parcel she purchased on the corner of Wheatley Street and Ferguson Way; and

WHEREAS, Several plots had been sold by 1942, when Elmer Hay and Luther M. Inkley bought Rest Lawn and the adjacent lot; in 1970, the cemetery was acquired by MJM Cemeteries, Inc., which added several nearby lots, expanding the property to almost 3.2 acres; and

WHEREAS, The earliest known burial came in 1943, and over the years, the cemetery has served veterans of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, as well as the blues singer and musician Weldon "Juke Boy" Bonner and other notable residents; since 2012, Rest Lawn has been cared for by Second Chance Outreach and the Iota chapter of Omega Psi Phi; and

WHEREAS, For more than 75 years, Rest Lawn Cemetery has served as a final resting place for members of the Acres Homes community, and this marker is a fitting tribute to the cemetery's long history and to the contributions of all those who are interred there; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of a Harris County Historical Marker at Rest Lawn Cemetery and extend to all those involved in securing this recognition sincere appreciation for their efforts to bring this project to fruition.

Johnson of Harris

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 245 was adopted by the House on March 6, 2019, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House