H.R. No. 806

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The citizens of Grand Prairie bid farewell to a
	respected elected official, educator, and civic leader with the
	passing of former State Representative Billy Len Arnold on
	November 27, 2023, at the age of 97; and
	WHEREAS, Bill Arnold was born on August 17, 1926, in the small
	farming community of Peerless in Hopkins County; he was raised by
	his mother, Bessie Hope Evans Arnold, his grandparents, John and
	Agnes Evans, and his uncles, Marvin, Bascom, and Sam Evans, and he
	grew up with the companionship of four siblings, Jeff, Lasca, Mary
	Jo, and Hellen; he was a member of the first graduating class at
	North Hopkins School in 1944; answering his nation's call to duty,
	he joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the light cruiser U.S.S.
	Columbia in the South Pacific during World War II; following his
	honorable discharge, he earned a degree from East Texas State
	Teachers College, and he later received a master's degree in
	education; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Arnold began his teaching career in Tyler, and
	in 1954, he relocated to Grand Prairie; after several years in the
	classroom, he was promoted to principal of an elementary school and
	later a junior high; in 1968, he became the assistant
	superintendent for business administration for the Grand Prairie
	Independent School District, and he retired in 1986 as deputy
	superintendent; throughout his tenure, he was active in a number of
	professional associations, including the Texas Association of
	School Business Officials, which he led as president for a term; and
	WHEREAS, First elected to the Texas House of Representatives
	in 1986, Mr. Arnold worked tirelessly in behalf of his constituents
	in House District 106; during his three terms in office, he served
	on numerous committees, including Elections, Public Safety, House
	Administration, Public Education, and Rules and Resolutions, and he
	was vice chair of the Public Safety Committee during the 71st and
	72nd Legislatures; he concluded his tenure in January 1993,
	following six years of exemplary public service; and
	WHEREAS, Active in his community, Mr. Arnold was involved in
	the Optimist Club as well as the Grand Prairie Rotary Club, where he
	served as president and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow; he also
	held the office of president of the Grand Prairie Chamber of
	Commerce, served on the board of the YMCA, and contributed to a
	number of Boy Scouts of America fundraising drives; among his many
	accolades, he was named Citizen of the Year, and in 2002, Grand
	Prairie ISD named Bill Arnold Middle School in his honor; and
	WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Arnold enjoyed the love
	and support of his wife, Laura, with whom he shared a rewarding
	marriage that spanned more than seven decades; he took great pride
	in their two sons, Bryan and Brent, and over the years, he had the
	pleasure of seeing his family grow to include five grandchildren,
	Clint, Kathryn, Walt, Ginny, and Tessa, and six
	great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Harrison, Jack, Charlie, Maggie,
	and Will; a man of deep faith, he was a devoted congregant of First
	Baptist Church Grand Prairie, where he served as a deacon, Sunday
	school teacher, and member of pastoral search committees; and
	WHEREAS, Although Bill Arnold is deeply missed by those he
	left behind, his life stands as an outstanding example of civic
	engagement, and his contributions will continue to be remembered
	and admired in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
	Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Billy
	Len Arnold and extend heartfelt sympathy to all 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 Bill
	Arnold.
	Turner
	Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw
	Alders Guillen Morgan
	Allen Harless Muñoz
	Anchía Harris Noble
	Ashby Harris Davila Olcott
	Barry Harrison Oliverson
	Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz
	Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr
	Bernal Hernandez Patterson
	Bhojani Hickland Paul
	Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso
	Bowers Holt Perez of Harris
	Bryant Hopper Phelan
	Buckley Howard Pierson
	Bucy Hull Plesa
	Bumgarner Hunter Raymond
	Button Isaac Reynolds
	Cain Johnson Richardson
	Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos
	Canales Jones of Harris Romero
	Capriglione Kerwin Rose
	Cole King Rosenthal
	Collier Kitzman Schatzline
	Cook LaHood Schofield
	Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft
	Craddick Lambert Shaheen
	Cunningham Landgraf Shofner
	Curry Leach Simmons
	Darby Leo Wilson Slawson
	A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee
	Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller
	Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson
	DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico
	Dorazio Louderback Tepper
	Dutton Lowe Thompson
	Dyson Lozano Tinderholt
	Fairly Lujan Toth
	Flores Luther Troxclair
	Frank Manuel Turner
	Gámez Martinez VanDeaver
	Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut
	Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos
	Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell
	Gates Metcalf Vo
	Gerdes Meyer Walle
	Geren Meza Ward Johnson
	Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton
	González of Dallas Moody Wilson
	González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu
	Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 806 was unanimously adopted by a rising
	vote of the House on April 23, 2025.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House