88R12468 CJM-D
 
  By: Geren H.R. No. 231
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Memories of a life well lived remain to comfort the
  family and friends of Neal Gay, who passed away on August 11, 2022,
  at the age of 96; and
         WHEREAS, Born on June 25, 1926, in Dallas, Neal Gay was the
  son of Elsie Mae and Malond Gay; he joined the U.S. Coast Guard when
  he was 17, and shortly thereafter, he was transferred to the
  U.S. Navy; he served in World War II for about a year until he was
  injured while shipboard; after returning home, he entered his first
  rodeo in Atoka, Oklahoma, in 1945, and he became an early member of
  the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association; he went on to
  distinguish himself as a talented steer wrestler and saddle bronc,
  bareback, and bull rider; in his early years, he supported his rodeo
  endeavors by selling used cars and real estate; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Gay embarked on a long and successful career as
  a rodeo producer in May 1958, when he opened the Mesquite
  Championship Rodeo; he served as its founder and producer for 51
  years, and he and his family also went on to manage many other North
  Texas rodeos throughout the 1970s and 1980s; furthermore, he was
  the contract producer of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo for
  over four decades; in recognition of his many accomplishments, he
  was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame, the Texas Trail of
  Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Texas Cowboy Hall of
  Fame, and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame; and
         WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Gay enjoyed the love and
  support of his treasured family, including his wife, Kay, his sons,
  Pete, Donnie, and Jim, and his granddaughters, Talli, Megan, and
  Summer; he was known for his integrity, his keen business sense, and
  his strong faith, as well as his love for his ranch and his
  livestock; and
         WHEREAS, A devoted family man and a true Texas cowboy, Neal
  Gay leaves behind a legacy that will long resonate in the Lone Star
  State and beyond; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Neal Gay and extend
  deepest condolences to all those who mourn his passing; 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 Neal Gay.