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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life of professional achievement and dedicated |
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public service drew to a close with the passing of former state |
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representative James Benjamin Bynum of Amarillo on February 15, |
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2019, at the age of 75; and |
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WHEREAS, Ben Bynum was born in Amarillo on April 16, 1943, to |
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James and Isabel Bynum; he attended Amarillo High School, where he |
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was an active member of the speech and debate team and graduated as |
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part of the Class of 1961; he went on to study at The University of |
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Texas at Austin, serving as president of the Lambda Chi Alpha |
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fraternity and on the athletic council under Darrell Royal; and |
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WHEREAS, In the late 1960s, Mr. Bynum launched his political |
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career, and in 1971, he won election to the Texas House of |
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Representatives; over the course of three consecutive terms in |
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office, he chaired the Committee on Insurance, the Interim |
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Committee on Capitol Use and Public Information, and the Committee |
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on Highway Beautification, and he also held membership on the House |
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Administration, Common Carriers, Constitutional Amendments, |
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Elections, Medical Welfare Program, Parks, and State Affairs |
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Committees, among others; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his tenure in the legislature, Mr. Bynum |
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was elected as county judge of Potter County, and he assisted in the |
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establishment of the Potter County Courts Building; in the |
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mid-1980s, he became the executive director of the Care Unit in |
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Canyon, where he worked tirelessly to help individuals overcome |
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substance abuse issues; he then assumed the position of executive |
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director of the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse under |
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Governor Ann Richards, remaining there until his retirement; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Bynum enjoyed the love and |
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support of his wife, Penny, with whom he shared a rewarding marriage |
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that spanned 52 years; he was the proud father of two daughters, |
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Susan and Brooke, and he had the pleasure of seeing his family grow |
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to include five grandchildren; in his later years, he served on the |
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Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation board and delighted in cheering |
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on the Texas Longhorns; and |
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WHEREAS, An engaged citizen, a devoted family man, and an |
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admired public servant, Ben Bynum leaves behind a legacy of good |
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works that will long resonate in the Amarillo community and beyond; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of James Benjamin Bynum |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Penny Bynum; to his children, Susan Lewallen and her husband, |
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Cliff, and Brooke McKinney and her husband, Page; to his |
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grandchildren, Lindsey, Emily, and Peyton Lewallen and Nelson and |
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Charlie McKinney; to his sister, Ann Whittenburg; and to his other |
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relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ben Bynum. |