87R29088 JGH-D
 
  By: Smithee H.R. No. 1815
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, A life of meaningful service drew to a close with the
  death of former state representative Tony James Goolsby of Dallas
  on September 4, 2020, at the age of 86; and
         WHEREAS, Born on November 9, 1933, Tony Goolsby was raised by
  Thelma and Herman Ross in Longview, and he grew up with two
  siblings, Eddie and Marsha; answering his nation's call to duty, he
  served in the U.S. Army, and he went on to earn a bachelor's degree
  in education from the University of North Texas, where he was a
  member of the Theta Chi fraternity; he worked as a teacher, coach,
  principal, and pharmaceutical sales representative until he
  started an insurance agency in the 1980s, running it for more than
  two decades; he served as president of the Independent Insurance
  Agents of Dallas, as head of political actions for the Independent
  Insurance Agents of Texas, and as a board member of Pavillion Bank;
  and
         WHEREAS, In 1988, Mr. Goolsby was elected to the Texas House
  of Representatives, and he served the citizens of North Dallas and
  Richardson for 20 years; a leader in the house, he was a strong
  supporter of efforts to protect victims of sexual assault, extend
  the reach of Amber Alerts, protect consumers from unwanted
  solicitations, make identity theft a state crime, cut taxes on
  small businesses, and make higher education more accessible,
  including allowing senior citizens to audit college courses at no
  cost; known for signing everything in a shade of ink that came to be
  known as "Goolsby green," he served as chair of the House
  Administration Committee and as vice chair of the Higher Education
  Committee; dedicated to making sure the house ran smoothly and that
  everyone was treated fairly, he made many friends during his
  tenure, and a number of items from his personal collection remain on
  view at the Legislative Reference Library; and
         WHEREAS, Representative Goolsby's many honors over the
  course of his career included recognition and awards from the
  Dallas Police Association, North Texas State University, Longview
  High School, the Texas Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Realtors
  Association, and the Texas Pediatric Society; and
         WHEREAS, Following his service in the legislature,
  Mr. Goolsby enjoyed a successful career as a lobbyist; he remained
  close to his former legislative staffers, often sharing a meal to
  offer advice and discuss the latest Capitol news, and he maintained
  a warm friendship with former speaker of the house Pete Laney until
  the end of his life; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Goolsby was a member of Lovers Lane United
  Methodist Church for more than a half century, and he was serving as
  an usher one Sunday morning when he met Toppy Tannery, who was late
  for church; they were married in 1971 and shared a loving
  relationship that spanned nearly five decades; they delighted in
  traveling together to national parks, taking riverboat cruises in
  Europe, spending Thanksgiving in Hawaii, and visiting their
  granddaughters in California; in 2001, they dedicated the Goolsby
  Chapel at the University of North Texas, and they also established
  the Toppy and Tony Goolsby Family Trust Rangerette Scholarship at
  Kilgore College; and
         WHEREAS, Witty, warm, and generous, Tony Goolsby was a
  devoted family man and a distinguished public servant, and his loss
  is keenly felt by the numerous friends he made through the years and
  by the countless people in Texas whose lives were made better by his
  many achievements; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Tony
  James Goolsby and extend heartfelt sympathy to the members of his
  family: to his wife, Toppy Goolsby; to his children, Mellie Mathis
  and her husband, Chris Duncan, Cherrie Wysong and her husband, Jay,
  and Brooke Welch and her husband, Sean; to his grandchildren,
  Delaney and Riley Welch; to his sister, Marsha Ross; and to his
  other relatives and many 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 Tony
  Goolsby.