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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Grand Prairie bid farewell to a |
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respected elected official, educator, and civic leader with the |
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passing of former State Representative Billy Len Arnold on |
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November 27, 2023, at the age of 97; and |
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WHEREAS, Bill Arnold was born on August 17, 1926, in the small |
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farming community of Peerless in Hopkins County; he was raised by |
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his mother, Bessie Hope Evans Arnold, his grandparents, John and |
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Agnes Evans, and his uncles, Marvin, Bascom, and Sam Evans, and he |
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grew up with the companionship of four siblings, Jeff, Lasca, Mary |
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Jo, and Hellen; he was a member of the first graduating class at |
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North Hopkins School in 1944; answering his nation's call to duty, |
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he joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. |
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Columbia in the South Pacific during World War II; following his |
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honorable discharge, he earned a degree from East Texas State |
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Teachers College, and he later received a master's degree in |
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education; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Arnold began his teaching career in Tyler, and |
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in 1954, he relocated to Grand Prairie; after several years in the |
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classroom, he was promoted to principal of an elementary school and |
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later a junior high; in 1968, he became the assistant |
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superintendent for business administration for the Grand Prairie |
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Independent School District, and he retired in 1986 as deputy |
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superintendent; throughout his tenure, he was active in a number of |
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professional associations, including the Texas Association of |
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School Business Officials, which he led as president for a term; and |
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WHEREAS, First elected to the Texas House of Representatives |
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in 1986, Mr. Arnold worked tirelessly in behalf of his constituents |
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in House District 106; during his three terms in office, he served |
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on numerous committees, including Elections, Public Safety, House |
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Administration, Public Education, and Rules and Resolutions, and he |
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was vice chair of the Public Safety Committee during the 71st and |
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72nd Legislatures; he concluded his tenure in January 1993, |
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following six years of exemplary public service; and |
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WHEREAS, Active in his community, Mr. Arnold was involved in |
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the Optimist Club as well as the Grand Prairie Rotary Club, where he |
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served as president and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow; he also |
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held the office of president of the Grand Prairie Chamber of |
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Commerce, served on the board of the YMCA, and contributed to a |
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number of Boy Scouts of America fundraising drives; among his many |
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accolades, he was named Citizen of the Year, and in 2002, Grand |
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Prairie ISD named Bill Arnold Middle School in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Arnold enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Laura, with whom he shared a rewarding |
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marriage that spanned more than seven decades; he took great pride |
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in their two sons, Bryan and Brent, and over the years, he had the |
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pleasure of seeing his family grow to include five grandchildren, |
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Clint, Kathryn, Walt, Ginny, and Tessa, and six |
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great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Harrison, Jack, Charlie, Maggie, |
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and Will; a man of deep faith, he was a devoted congregant of First |
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Baptist Church Grand Prairie, where he served as a deacon, Sunday |
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school teacher, and member of pastoral search committees; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Bill Arnold is deeply missed by those he |
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left behind, his life stands as an outstanding example of civic |
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engagement, and his contributions will continue to be remembered |
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and admired in the years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Billy |
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Len Arnold and extend heartfelt sympathy to all who mourn his |
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passing; 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 Bill |
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Arnold. |