HR310 - In memory of former state representative James Parker McCollough of Austin.

      H.R. No. 310       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the   passing of former state representative James Parker McCollough of   Austin on October 31, 2024, at the age of 74; and          WHEREAS, The son of J. C. McCollough and Norma Jim Cornett   McCollough, Parker McCollough was born in Amarillo on October 18,   1950, and he grew up with three sisters, Randa, Kay, and Gail; he   attended South Plains College on a track scholarship and   transferred to Texas Tech University, where he earned a bachelor's   degree in business and a law degree; during summers, he expanded his   horizons by working at the YMCA in Estes Park, Colorado, and selling   textbooks across the eastern United States; and          WHEREAS, Mr. McCollough joined a Georgetown law firm, and   while raising his two oldest children, he became involved in the   local community; he frequently worked on a pro bono basis and served   as a public defender and municipal judge; in addition, he refereed   high school football games and ran the clock at Southwestern   University basketball games; and          WHEREAS, In 1988, Mr. McCollough won election to the Texas   House of Representatives; he served as chair of the Criminal   Jurisprudence Committee and the Judicial Affairs Subcommittee on   Budget and Oversight, and he was a member of the Redistricting   Committee and the Task Force on State and Local Drug Control; having   developed a love of politics, public policy, and   relationship-building, he became a regulatory lobbyist following   his two terms in office; and          WHEREAS, Mr. McCollough met the former Rhonda Puls at the   State Capitol, and they married on June 23, 1991; the couple became   the proud parents of two children, and Mr. McCollough enjoyed   coaching Little League teams, instilling a reverence for the game   along with great enthusiasm; deeply patriotic, he always cried   while singing the national anthem and took each of his children to   witness the peaceful transition of power at a presidential   inauguration; he helped them register to vote and brought them to   the polls as well; above all, he taught them to enjoy life to the   fullest and enable others to do the same; his relationships and his   faith were informed by his profound commitment to Alcoholics   Anonymous, and he attended a men's meeting at a local church every   Saturday; during 22 years of sobriety, he served as a sponsor for   countless people, always making himself available to those who   needed his support; and          WHEREAS, Although Parker McCollough is greatly missed, those   who held him dear will forever remember the warmth and compassion   that he brought into their lives; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable James   Parker McCollough and extend sincere sympathy to his loved ones: to   his wife, Rhonda McCollough; to his children, Cory (Jaime   Villanueva), James (Audra Sharifi Isfahani), Murphy (Kolton   McDougald), and Chandler (John Holt); to his grandchildren, Lucia,   Anna, CJ, and Coco; to his sisters, Kay (Terry Milligan) and Gail;   and to his many other relatives and friends; 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 Parker   McCollough.     Howard     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. 310 was unanimously adopted by a rising   vote of the House on March 6, 2025.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House