Bill Text: TX HR1235 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Judge Bascom William Bentley III of Palestine.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-04-29 - Reported enrolled [HR1235 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HR1235-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 1235 |
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WHEREAS, Residents of East Texas lost an admired jurist with | ||
the death of the Honorable Bascom William Bentley III on December | ||
11, 2017, at the age of 66; and | ||
WHEREAS, The son of Dr. Bascom Bentley Jr. and Kelly Bentley, | ||
Bascom Bentley was born on March 27, 1951; he grew up with a sister, | ||
Belle, and a brother, Newell; after attending Palestine High | ||
School, he completed his bachelor's degree at The University of | ||
Texas at Austin and went on to graduate from the University of | ||
Houston Law Center in 1976; he married the former Carol Swift, and | ||
they were blessed with four children, Bonnie, Bascom, Hunter, and | ||
Matthew; later in life, he experienced the joy of welcoming into his | ||
family a granddaughter, Scarlett; and | ||
WHEREAS, Judge Bentley was appointed Palestine city attorney | ||
in 1977, and he went on to serve Anderson County as county attorney | ||
and court at law judge; in 1989, he was appointed as the first judge | ||
of the newly created 369th District Court, and he fulfilled the | ||
duties of that position with distinction until his retirement in | ||
2017; serious but unpretentious, he knew when to introduce levity | ||
to the proceedings, and he was a mentor to many; he taught at | ||
Trinity Valley Community College for 37 years and served on the | ||
faculty of the Texas Center for the Judiciary; in addition, he was a | ||
member of the Texas College for New Judges and president of the | ||
Anderson County Bar Association; and | ||
WHEREAS, Deeply committed to his community, Judge Bentley | ||
benefited many charitable organizations and served as president of | ||
the United Way of East/Central Texas, Salvation Army, and Red | ||
Cross; he was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church of | ||
Palestine, where he was chair of the board and taught the Judge EV | ||
Swift Men's Bible Study; among numerous honors, he received the | ||
Citizen of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the | ||
Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce and the Outstanding Local Leader | ||
Award from the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute and | ||
The University of Texas; and | ||
WHEREAS, Bascom Bentley earned the respect and admiration of | ||
innumerable people over the course of his long career in public | ||
service, and those who were privileged to know him will forever | ||
cherish their memories of his warmth, kindness, and wonderful sense | ||
of humor; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Bascom William | ||
Bentley III and extend sincere 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 Judge | ||
Bascom William Bentley III. | ||
Harris | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 1235 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
rising vote of the House on April 26, 2019. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||