|
|
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 489
|
|
|
|
In Memory |
|
of |
|
Kenton Harris |
|
|
WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their |
|
memories of Kenton Dale Harris of Friendswood, who died on March |
|
9, 2021, at the age of 88; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Kenton Harris was born on July 4, 1932, in |
|
Kingman, Kansas, to Delbert and Florence Harris, and he grew up |
|
with four siblings, Leland, Marjorie, Maxine, and Richard; an |
|
impressive athlete, he played football and was named an All-State |
|
running back at Cheney High School; he went on to play varsity |
|
football at Friends University, where he graduated with a |
|
bachelor's degree in physical education in 1953; while |
|
subsequently coaching at William Penn University, he earned a |
|
master's degree from Drake University; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Answering his nation's call to duty, Mr. Harris |
|
served in the U.S. Army with the 868th field artillery from 1956 |
|
to 1958, when he began his civilian career as an educator and |
|
coach in Elkhart, Kansas; he joined the Friendswood Independent |
|
School District in 1971 and served the district for 25 years as a |
|
teacher, coach, and administrator, until his retirement; he |
|
guided the Friendswood Mustangs to a state championship in 1973 |
|
and helped them reach the 2A and 3A playoffs multiple times; he |
|
was later inducted into the Friendswood Mustang Hall of Honor, |
|
and in 2015, he was named an Honorary Distinguished Alumni of |
|
Friendswood High School; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A man of strong religious faith, Mr. Harris was a |
|
longtime member of Friendswood Friends Church; through the |
|
years, he served the congregation as a Sunday school teacher, as |
|
a youth group sponsor, and as head of the ministry and oversight |
|
committee; he also led the Fellowship of Christian Athletes |
|
chapter at Friendswood High, and in 1986, the group named him |
|
State Huddle Leader of the Year; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Harris shared a loving relationship with his |
|
wife, Karolena Joyce Boyle Harris, that spanned more than six |
|
decades; he was the proud father of two sons, Kevin and Kelly, and |
|
with the passing years, he was further blessed with three |
|
grandsons, James, Kenton, and Charles; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Kenton Harris lived a full and generous life |
|
devoted to his family, his profession, and his faith, and he |
|
leaves behind a legacy of integrity and generosity that will |
|
continue to inspire all those he leaves behind; now, therefore, |
|
be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th |
|
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Kenton Dale |
|
Harris and extend heartfelt sympathy to his 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 Senate adjourns |
|
this day, it do so in memory of Kenton Dale Harris. |
|
|
Taylor |
|
|
|
|
Bettencourt |
Hinojosa |
Paxton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buckingham |
Johnson |
Schwertner |
|
|
Campbell |
Kolkhorst |
Seliger |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Patrick, President of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
President of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
I hereby certify that the |
|
|
above Resolution was adopted by |
|
|
the Senate on May 28, 2021, by a |
|
|
rising vote. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
Member, Texas Senate |