84R4510 WG-D
	By: Clardy	H.R. No. 130

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The passing of Dr. James Edward Swink of Rusk on
	December 3, 2014, at the age of 78, has brought a great loss to his
	family, his friends, and the community that he so proudly called
	home; and
	WHEREAS, Born in Sacul on March 14, 1936, to Curtis and Allie
	Mae Swink, Jim Swink was a standout performer on the Rusk High
	School football and basketball teams; he gained All-District and
	All-State recognition for his athletic talents, and after
	graduating from Rusk High in 1953, he enrolled at Texas Christian
	University on a football scholarship; and
	WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan continued his fine play at the
	collegiate level, earning the moniker "the Rusk Rambler" as he led
	TCU to consecutive conference championships and Cotton Bowl
	appearances; he was an Academic All-American and All-Southwest
	Conference player for the Horned Frogs, and he finished as the
	runner-up for the prestigious Heisman Trophy after an impressive
	1955 season in which he led the nation in scoring and was second in
	rushing; though he was drafted by the Chicago Bears after
	graduating from TCU, he chose to forgo professional football to
	pursue a medical career, but he later returned to the field briefly
	as a member of the Dallas Texans of the American Football League;
	and
	WHEREAS, Following his graduation from The University of
	Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dr. Swink practiced medicine in
	Tyler for three years and then answered his nation's call to duty as
	a member of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War; he served as a
	medic and rose to the rank of captain, and he was honored for his
	dedicated service with both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star
	Medal; after leaving the military and completing his residency, he
	moved to the Fort Worth area and enjoyed a successful 35-year tenure
	as an orthopedic surgeon; he retired from that practice in 2006 and
	returned home to Rusk, but he later put his medical expertise to
	work by serving as a member of the staff at the Rusk State Hospital
	medical clinic from 2009 to 2014; and
	WHEREAS, Widely admired for his achievements, Dr. Swink was
	the recipient of a multitude of accolades, including the Doak
	Walker Legends Award and induction into the College Football Hall
	of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference
	Hall of Fame, and the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame; he was designated an
	Outstanding Texan by the Rusk Industrial Foundation for his many
	contributions to the local community, and one of his proudest
	moments came in October 2014, when the Rusk High School football
	field was renamed in his honor; and
	WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Dr. Swink enjoyed the love and
	support of his wife, Jeanie, and he took great pride in his
	children, Jed, Dan, and Charlie, as well as his two grandchildren
	and two great-grandchildren; and
	WHEREAS, An accomplished athlete, a respected medical
	professional, and a caring husband and father, Jim Swink excelled
	in all of those roles, and he will always be remembered with great
	admiration and affection by all those who were privileged to know
	him; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
	Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. James Edward
	Swink and extend deepest condolences to the members of his family:
	to his wife, Jeanie Swink; to his sons, Jed, Dan, and Charlie Swink;
	to his grandchildren, Sam Swink and Heather Eiland and her husband,
	Clay; to his great-grandchildren, Sophia and Theodore Eiland; to
	his sisters, Mary Crump, Wilene Shuptrine, Vera English, and Ann
	Phillips and her husband, George; to his brother, Joe Swink; 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. James
	Edward Swink.