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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Irving lost an admired civic leader |
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with the passing of Ronald Keith Umphress on April 6, 2021, at the |
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age of 89; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of John and Exa Mae Umphress, Ronald |
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Umphress was born in Blue Ridge on November 29, 1931, and grew up on |
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a farm as the youngest of 10 children; he was a dairy farmer before |
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going to work for Citizens State Bank in Princeton; quickly rising |
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to become executive vice president, he went on to join Southwest |
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Bank of Irving and later guided its growth as president; he also |
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founded Park Insurance Agency; following his retirement, he was |
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called upon by the FDIC to restore Citizens State Bank to an "A" |
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rating, a success that capped his 50-year career; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Umphress served his fellow citizens in myriad |
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leadership roles, including director of the Irving Community |
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Concert Series and the Irving Retail Merchants Executive Club; as |
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president of the Irving Chamber of Commerce, he was instrumental in |
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bringing Texas Stadium to Irving, and he was a member of the Texas |
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Rangers' Club, which helped establish the baseball team; he served |
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on the boards of Irving Community Hospital and the YMCA, and he gave |
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generously of his time and expertise to the Lions Club and Rotary |
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Club, among many other worthwhile organizations; a valued |
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congregant of Plymouth Park Baptist Church, he was a member of the |
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board of deacons and sang at many weddings and funerals; and |
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WHEREAS, Above all, Mr. Umphress was devoted to his family; |
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he shared 63 years of marriage with his wife, Peggy Sue Cantrell |
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Umphress, before her passing, and he took great pride in his 3 |
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children, Brian, Pam, and Jan, as well as his 9 grandchildren, |
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Autumn, Todd, Brandon, Lisa, Rian, Chris, Molli, Matti, and Bailey, |
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and his 16 great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, The life of Ronald Umphress stands as an outstanding |
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example of civic engagement, and although he is deeply missed by |
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those he left behind, his work will be remembered and admired for |
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years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Ronald Keith Umphress |
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and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; 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 Ronald |
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Umphress. |