| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The City of Giddings dedicated February 1, 2023, as |
|
|
Marshall and Charles Etta Francis Family Day, providing a fitting |
|
|
opportunity to recognize these outstanding Texans; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Marshall and Charles Etta Francis are the proud |
|
|
parents of four sons, Tony, Michael, Brian, and the late Elton |
|
|
Francis, who passed away in 2006; the Francises settled in Giddings |
|
|
in 1975, and each member of the family has made notable |
|
|
contributions to the community over the past 47 years; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Charles Etta Francis was employed as a teacher's |
|
|
aide at Giddings State School for two decades, and she has worked |
|
|
tirelessly to benefit the wider community; she has played an |
|
|
instrumental role in fundraising initiatives for Texas Relay for |
|
|
Life, and she served as the team captain of Churches Coming Together |
|
|
to Kick Out Cancer in 2022; she was named Outstanding Citizen of the |
|
|
Year by the City of Giddings in 2004; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Marshall Francis retired as a tech sergeant in the |
|
|
U.S. Air Force in 1975, after 20 years of dedicated service; he |
|
|
later worked as a supervisor at the Giddings State School for more |
|
|
than two decades, and he served two terms as an elected member of |
|
|
the Giddings School Board; in addition, Mr. and Mrs. Francis were |
|
|
longtime co-owners of C.E.F. Floral; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Elton Francis graduated from Giddings High School in |
|
|
1977 and went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force; he attended Texas |
|
|
State University and participated in the track team, holding the |
|
|
100-meter record for more than 40 years; in 1980, he qualified in |
|
|
the U.S. Track and Field Olympic trials; he enjoyed a rewarding |
|
|
career with the Texas School for the Deaf, and he served as a track |
|
|
coach for youth in Lee County; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, After graduating from Giddings High School in 1979, |
|
|
Tony Francis joined the U.S. Army; he later retired from a 29-year |
|
|
career at Giddings State School, and he worked in the Parks and |
|
|
Maintenance Department for the City of Giddings; since 1982, he and |
|
|
his wife have mentored several generations of area youth as coaches |
|
|
for the Lee County Express Track Club; currently, he co-owns |
|
|
Francis Lawn Care Service, and he serves as a board member for the |
|
|
Giddings Economic Development Corporation; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A 1980 graduate of Giddings High School, Michael |
|
|
Francis ran track at Texas State University, where he earned a |
|
|
bachelor's degree in finance and a master's degree in business |
|
|
administration; he has held a number of leadership positions in |
|
|
finance and human resources with major companies as well as the |
|
|
federal government; today, he is employed as a management |
|
|
consultant in Travis, Lee, Williamson, and Bastrop Counties; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Brian Francis graduated from Giddings High School in |
|
|
1983 and later earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Texas |
|
|
State University as well as a master's degree in business |
|
|
administration from St. Edward's University; following a |
|
|
three-decade career with the State of Texas, he retired as |
|
|
executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and |
|
|
Regulation in 2022; he has been an active supporter of human rights, |
|
|
executive leadership, and child trafficking prevention |
|
|
initiatives, and he has served on a number of state and local |
|
|
boards, including the Texas State University Development |
|
|
Foundation Board of Trustees; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The members of the Francis family have made a |
|
|
meaningful difference in the Giddings community and beyond, and |
|
|
they may indeed take great pride in their many accomplishments; |
|
|
now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby honor the Francis family of Giddings on the |
|
|
occasion of Marshall and Charles Etta Francis Family Day and extend |
|
|
to them sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the Francis family as an expression of high regard by |
|
|
the Texas House of Representatives. |
| |
|
|
Gerdes |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 138 was adopted by the House on March |
|
|
8, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
|
|
voting. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |