Bill Text: TX HCR87 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: In memory of former state representative John Clifford Otto.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 27-8)
Status: (Passed) 2021-05-19 - Signed by the Governor [HCR87 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HCR87-Introduced.html
Bill Title: In memory of former state representative John Clifford Otto.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 27-8)
Status: (Passed) 2021-05-19 - Signed by the Governor [HCR87 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HCR87-Introduced.html
87R17110 BPG-D | ||
By: Darby | H.C.R. No. 87 |
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Texas lost an admired public servant | ||
with the passing of former state representative John Clifford Otto | ||
on August 1, 2020, at the age of 71; and | ||
WHEREAS, Born to John and Susan Otto in Dayton on October 14, | ||
1948, John Otto grew up with two brothers, Calvin and Glenn, and two | ||
sisters, Susan and Danita; while completing his bachelor's degree | ||
in accounting at Texas A&M University, he rose to become head drum | ||
major of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band; he was commissioned as a | ||
second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served on active and reserve | ||
duty for eight years; his career as a certified public accountant | ||
included a five-year tenure with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell, and | ||
Company in Houston and 35 years as the owner of a successful CPA | ||
practice in Dayton; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Otto served his community in many roles, | ||
including as a trustee of the Dayton Independent School District | ||
and as a member of the Dayton City Council; in 2004, he won election | ||
to the Texas House of Representatives and quickly made his mark; he | ||
was named Rookie of the Year by Texas Monthly and received similar | ||
recognition from his peers; over the course of six terms in office, | ||
he was appointed to numerous committees; his financial acumen made | ||
him particularly effective as chair of the House Appropriations | ||
Committee and the Select Committees on Fiscal Stability and | ||
Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform, as well as vice chair of | ||
the Ways and Means Committee and member of the Legislative Audit | ||
Committee; in addition, he served on the Legislative Budget Board; | ||
among myriad accolades, he received a Fighter for Free Enterprise | ||
Award from the Texas Association of Business, and he was selected | ||
for the Legislative Honor Roll by the Texas PTA; and | ||
WHEREAS, In 2017, Mr. Otto accepted his dream job as | ||
assistant vice chancellor and director of local government | ||
relations for The Texas A&M University System; the position allowed | ||
him to champion the interests of his beloved alma mater while | ||
continuing to work with his colleagues in the legislature; in July | ||
2020, in order to acknowledge his ardent support of the Aggie Band, | ||
the system chancellor organized a virtual ceremony with family, | ||
friends, and fellow Aggie legislators to announce the naming of the | ||
drum major's baton in his honor; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Otto married his high school sweetheart, the | ||
former Nancy Whitman, in December 1969; while helping to raise | ||
their two sons, Bryan and Jason, he enthusiastically cheered them | ||
on in sports and ensured they were properly initiated into Aggie | ||
football fandom; he later had the pleasure of seeing the family grow | ||
to include six grandchildren, Brendon, Maddie, Hadley, Bailee, | ||
Emilee, and Malloree; before moving to Bryan-College Station, the | ||
Ottos sang in the choir at First United Methodist Church in Dayton, | ||
where Mr. Otto served as treasurer for more than a quarter century; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, Although John Otto is deeply missed by those he left | ||
behind, his life stands as an outstanding example of civic | ||
engagement, and his contributions will be remembered and admired in | ||
the years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable John Clifford Otto | ||
and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; 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 | ||
John Otto. |