HR672 - In memory of George William Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake of Houston.

      H.R. No. 672       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Family and friends were deeply saddened by the   deaths of former Texas secretary of state George William Strake Jr.   and his wife, Annette DeWalch Strake; and          WHEREAS, Mr. Strake passed away on February 9, 2024, at the   age of 88; the son of George William Strake Sr. and Susan Kehoe   Strake, George Strake was born in Houston on June 10, 1935; he was   an honor roll student at St. Thomas High School and went on to   become president of his class at the University of Notre Dame; after   completing his bachelor's degree in economics, he served two years   as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy and earned an MBA from   Harvard University; he followed in his father's footsteps,   embarking on a noteworthy career in the oil business, and rose to   become chair and CEO of Strake Energy, Inc.; and          WHEREAS, Mr. Strake was preceded in death by his wife on   November 16, 2023, when she was 86; born in Houston on June 20,   1937, the former Annette DeWalch was the daughter of Frank Anthony   DeWalch and Gladys King DeWalch, and she grew up with two brothers,   Donald and Robert; after graduating from St. Agnes Academy, she   attended the University of St. Thomas; and          WHEREAS, George and Annette Strake were joined in matrimony   on January 10, 1959, in a ceremony conducted at St. Anne Catholic   Church; through the years, they were blessed with six children,   George, Stephen, Michele, Melanie, Gregory, and Melissa, as well as   17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; they also welcomed a   host of friends into their home, especially at holidays and for   Mrs. Strake's famous Dancing with the Stars parties; and          WHEREAS, In 1961, Mr. Strake became involved in state and   national politics; he was appointed Texas secretary of state in   1979 and served as chair of the Republican Party of Texas from 1983   to 1988; subsequently, he was named to the Texas Task Force on   Public Education; he further served his fellow citizens as a member   of the boards of numerous civic and charitable organizations, among   them the Rotary Club of Houston, Boy Scouts of America, the Albert &   Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, the San Jacinto Museum and   Battlefield, and the "C" Club of Houston, of which he was a founding   member; and          WHEREAS, Mr. Strake was the recipient of myriad accolades,   and he took special pride in his selection as one of Community   Partners' "Fathers of the Year"; in 1993, he and his wife were   recognized as "Houstonians of the Year" by The Center for Hearing   and Speech; and          WHEREAS, Faithful parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel   Catholic Church, Mr. and Mrs. Strake supported Catholic education   through the Strake Foundation, which has provided capital and   programmatic support for initiatives at Mrs. Strake's alma mater,   the University of St. Thomas; Mr. Strake served on its board, and he   received an honorary doctorate; in addition, he was a longtime   benefactor of the University of Notre Dame, and he worked to advance   its mission as a Catholic institution and served on the College of   Arts and Letters Advisory Council; Mrs. Strake served on the boards   of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women and St. Agnes Academy; in   addition, she volunteered extensively and benefited her community   in numerous leadership roles, including as a member of the boards of   the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center and the Barbara Bush Houston   Literacy Foundation; the Strakes were loyal supporters of the   foundation's annual A Celebration of Reading event; proud of her   Italian heritage, she was also a member of the Donne di Domani club;   and          WHEREAS, George and Annette Strake inspired innumerable   people through their great devotion to each other, as well as   through their wide-ranging civic contributions, and they are   remembered with tremendous admiration and affection by all who were   privileged to know them; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of George William   Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake and extend sincere   condolences to all who mourn their passing; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for their family and that when the Texas House of   Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of George   William Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake.     DeAyala     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 672 was unanimously adopted by a   rising vote of the House on June 1, 2025.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House