HR806 - In memory of former State Representative Billy Len Arnold of Grand Prairie.

      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