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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life well lived remain to comfort the |
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family and friends of Curtis Lee Franklin Sr., who passed away on |
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March 10, 2023, at the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Flora, Louisiana, on April 14, 1937, to the |
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Reverend Talvin L. Franklin and Cornelia Franklin, Curtis Lee |
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Franklin was the 10th of 13 children; after residing in Beaumont, he |
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moved to Houston in 1962, and he went on to become a pillar of the |
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community through his achievements in business and his involvement |
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in local politics; and |
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WHEREAS, During the 1980s, Mr. Franklin operated one of |
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Houston's first Black-owned car dealerships; he was featured in |
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Black Enterprise as one of the 100 most profitable Black auto |
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dealers, and he was known for financing customers who had been |
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turned away by other dealerships; in addition to holding membership |
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in the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers, he |
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served as the founder of the Houston Minority Dealers Association; |
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honored by the NAACP as its Business Man of the Year, he further |
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distinguished himself as the owner of the Wunder-Bar and as a member |
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of the boards of directors for Texas Bank and Champion Lakes |
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Estates; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Franklin was deeply committed to progressive |
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values, and he was a staunch supporter of a number of local |
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political candidates, including Commissioner El Franco Lee, |
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Congressman Mickey Leland, Houston Mayors Lee Brown and Fred |
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Hofheinz, Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson |
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Lee, and State Representatives Al Edwards and Harold Dutton; and |
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WHEREAS, Curtis Franklin touched the lives of many people |
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during his journey on this earth, and he leaves behind a record of |
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service to his community that his loved ones can remember with |
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pride; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Curtis Lee |
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Franklin Sr. and extend sincere sympathy to his family and friends; |
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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 Curtis |
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Franklin. |