Bill Text: TX HCR4 | 2023 | 88th Legislature 4th Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of former state representative Walter David Counts Jr. of Knox City.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-12-18 - Signed by the Governor [HCR4 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HCR4-Enrolled.html
H.C.R. No. 4 |
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Walter David Counts Jr. of Knox City, | ||
a former state representative and brevet brigadier general in the | ||
Texas Army National Guard, passed away on August 18, 2023, at the | ||
age of 87; and | ||
WHEREAS, Born in Munday on July 14, 1936, David Counts was the | ||
son of Walter and Alma Counts; he grew up in Rule and attended West | ||
Texas State College and North Texas State College; in 1953, he | ||
joined the Texas Army National Guard, and over the course of 32 | ||
years in the military, he attained the rank of colonel; | ||
then-governor George W. Bush promoted him to brevet brigadier | ||
general following his retirement; among other honors, he received | ||
the General K. L. Bailey Award for heroism and the Minute Man Award | ||
for outstanding service; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Counts wed the love of his life, the former Mary | ||
Mullins, on July 15, 1956; they became the proud parents of two | ||
children, Patti and David, and through the years, their family grew | ||
to include four grandchildren, Seth, Jennifer, Sarah, and Matthew, | ||
as well as eight great-grandchildren; and | ||
WHEREAS, Settling in Knox City, Mr. Counts established Counts | ||
Insurance Agency in 1960; he operated the business for 35 years, and | ||
he also founded Counts Real Estate; in addition, he owned a | ||
bookkeeping and tax service for a decade and grew wheat and cotton | ||
in Knox, Stonewall, and Haskell Counties; he served as vice | ||
president and director of Rolling Plains Well Service, as president | ||
and chair of Chap Operating Company, as director and treasurer of | ||
Perry Pump Service, and as a director of both First Bank of West | ||
Texas and Western Bancshares; moreover, he was a member of the board | ||
of the Texas Association of Realtors; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Counts was first elected to the Texas House of | ||
Representatives in 1988, and for the next 15 years, he worked | ||
tirelessly in behalf of his constituents, who resided primarily in | ||
the North Central Plains region; he chaired the Natural Resources | ||
Committee for a decade, co-chaired the Water Resources Committee, | ||
and served on many other committees, including the Insurance, | ||
Redistricting, and State Affairs Committees; he authored a | ||
constitutional amendment to exempt Masonic lodges from ad valorem | ||
taxes; and | ||
WHEREAS, A member of the Masons for more than six decades, Mr. | ||
Counts was raised to the degree of Master Mason in 1961, and he | ||
served three separate terms as Worshipful Master; he began his | ||
association with the Grand Lodge of Texas in 1971 and rose to become | ||
Most Worshipful Grand Master, the highest office in Texas Masonry, | ||
in 2008; he gave generously of his time and talents to a host of | ||
Masonic groups, and he served as treasurer of Masonic Children & | ||
Family Services of Texas and as a trustee of Scottish Rite for | ||
Children; the recipient of numerous honors, he was inducted into | ||
the Masonic Grand Lodge Library and Museum of Texas Sam Houston Hall | ||
of Fame and served as a patron of the library and museum; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Counts also contributed to the greater community | ||
through his longtime service as a director of the Knox City Chamber | ||
of Commerce and as a member of the Knox City Lions Club; he | ||
benefited higher education as a member of several boards, including | ||
the development board of Hardin-Simmons University; he was a valued | ||
congregant of First Baptist Church of Knox City and gave generously | ||
of his time and resources to Gideons International; and | ||
WHEREAS, David Counts lived a life that was rich in public | ||
service and in personal and professional achievements, and his | ||
contributions will be remembered and admired for years to come; | ||
now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas, | ||
4th Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Walter David | ||
Counts Jr. and extend sincere condolences to the members of his | ||
family: to his wife, Mary Counts; to his children, Patti Counts | ||
Holmes and her husband, Steve, and David Counts III and his wife, | ||
Jill; to his grandchildren, Seth Barnett and his wife, Jenni, | ||
Jennifer McCann and her husband, Josh, Sarah Grace and her husband, | ||
Jacob, and Matthew Counts and his wife, Allie; to his eight | ||
great-grandchildren; to his sister, Cheryl Robinson, and her | ||
husband, Bobby; 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of | ||
David Counts. | ||
Craddick | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.C.R. No. 4 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
rising vote of the House on November 17, 2023. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.C.R. No. 4 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
rising vote of the Senate on November 30, 2023. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |