Bill Text: TX HCR86 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Amarillo City Council member James Harold Simms.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Passed) 2015-04-21 - Signed by the Governor [HCR86 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HCR86-Enrolled.html
| H.C.R. No. 86 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The citizens of Amarillo lost an exemplary public | ||
| official with the passing of city council member James Harold Simms | ||
| on November 12, 2014, at the age of 73; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Born in Amarillo on January 1, 1941, Jim Simms was | ||
| raised in Clovis, New Mexico, and pursued his college education at | ||
| Eastern New Mexico University, where he earned degrees in business, | ||
| finance, and psychology; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Following graduation, Mr. Simms settled in | ||
| Amarillo; he operated the Mitchell Electric Company for 28 years | ||
| before selling the business in 1999, then worked for another 11 | ||
| years as a vice president of Amarillo National Bank; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Simms began his distinguished career in public | ||
| service in 1982, when he was elected to the board of the Amarillo | ||
| Independent School District, and he held that office for five | ||
| years, including a stint as board president; during the 1990s, he | ||
| was president of the Amarillo Hospital District board of managers; | ||
| and | ||
| WHEREAS, In 2005, this respected civic leader was elected as | ||
| the Place 4 representative on the Amarillo City Commission, and he | ||
| went on to earn reelection four times, most recently in May 2013, | ||
| six months before the city commission converted to a council; | ||
| during his time in city government, he worked tirelessly to benefit | ||
| his community and played an important role in securing additional | ||
| water resources and furthering economic development efforts; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Simms was active in state government as well, | ||
| accepting appointments from Governor George W. Bush as executive | ||
| chair of the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of | ||
| Texas and from Governor Rick Perry to become a member of the State | ||
| Securities Board; in addition, he was president of Kids Inc. and of | ||
| the Children's Learning Centers board of directors, and he worked | ||
| with United Way of Amarillo and Canyon; in recognition of his | ||
| accomplishments, he was named Man of the Year by the Amarillo | ||
| Globe-News in 1997; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A caring husband and father, Mr. Simms shared a | ||
| rewarding 57-year marriage with his wife, Freeda; they raised three | ||
| children, Jane, J. Fred, and Lee, and with the passing years, they | ||
| had the pleasure of seeing their family grow to include six | ||
| grandchildren; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A man of great integrity and ability, Jim Simms | ||
| dedicated himself to serving the city that he loved, and he leaves | ||
| behind a legacy of generosity and civic engagement that will | ||
| continue to inspire all those who had the good fortune to know him; | ||
| now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby pay tribute to the life of James Harold Simms and extend | ||
| sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, | ||
| Freeda Simms; to his children, Jane Simms Gillette and her husband, | ||
| Greg, J. Fred Simms and his wife, Whitney, and Lee Simms and his | ||
| wife, Theresa; to his grandchildren, Jacob Gillette and Lila, | ||
| Benjamin, Luke, Ruby, and Fred Simms; to his brother, Mickey Simms, | ||
| and his wife, Irene; to his nephews, Gerald Wade Simms, Mitch Simms | ||
| and his wife, Mychelle, and their sons, Paden and Garret, and Gary | ||
| Simms and his wife, Amy, and their daughters, Rylee and Haley; and | ||
| to his other relatives and many 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 | ||
| James Harold Simms. | ||
| Smithee | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 86 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
| rising vote of the House on March 26, 2015. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 86 was adopted by the Senate on | ||
| April 7, 2015, by a viva-voce vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
