Bill Text: TX HR133 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Richard A. Overton of Austin.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-03-12 - Reported enrolled [HR133 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HR133-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 133 |
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WHEREAS, A full and inspiring life drew to a close with the | ||
death of beloved Austin supercentenarian Richard A. Overton on | ||
December 27, 2018, at the age of 112; and | ||
WHEREAS, The grandson of slaves, Richard Overton was born to | ||
Gentry Overton Sr. and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Franklin in St. Mary's | ||
Colony in Bastrop County on May 11, 1906; he grew up with three | ||
brothers, Hilliard, Irwin, and Gentry, and six sisters, Annie, | ||
Lola, Dora, Lillie Mae, Tenola, and Geneva; a hard worker, he held | ||
numerous jobs in his youth, from landscaper and homebuilder to | ||
furniture store employee; after enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1942, | ||
he was deployed to the Pacific theater; his all-African American | ||
battalion, the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion, helped free the | ||
island of Angaur from Japanese forces; he was recognized for his | ||
expert marksmanship and attained the rank of corporal; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Overton returned to Austin in 1945 and built a | ||
house on Hamilton Avenue, where he resided for the rest of his life; | ||
he went back to work in the furniture business, and for many years | ||
he was employed by the Texas Treasury Department; while Ann | ||
Richards led the agency, the gregarious veteran formed a friendship | ||
with the future governor, and he liked driving huge deposits to the | ||
bank in a golf cart; he kept busy selling fruit and mowing lawns as | ||
well; and | ||
WHEREAS, Following his retirement, Mr. Overton became a | ||
local legend, watching over his neighbors and greeting them from | ||
his front porch; his circle of admirers continued to widen, and in | ||
2013, he was lauded by President Barack Obama at a Veterans Day | ||
ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery; that same year, the Austin | ||
City Council proclaimed his birthday Richard A. Overton Day, and in | ||
2017 the city conferred the honorary name Richard Overton Avenue on | ||
his block; when Governor Greg Abbott presented the Overton family | ||
with a Texas flag in Mr. Overton's honor, he shared stories of how | ||
the centenarian had challenged him to a wheelchair race; in his | ||
later years, Mr. Overton continued to enjoy attending Shoreline | ||
Church, caring for his cats, and indulging in whiskey, coffee, ice | ||
cream, and cigars, and he happily welcomed visitors from near and | ||
far to his front-yard birthday parties; and | ||
WHEREAS, Richard Overton gained international fame as the | ||
oldest living U.S. veteran, but it was his charm, wit, kindness, and | ||
optimism that won the hearts of his fellow Texans, and he will be | ||
remembered with great admiration and affection by all who were | ||
fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Richard A. Overton and | ||
extend sincere condolences 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 Richard A. | ||
Overton. | ||
Cole | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 133 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
rising vote of the House on March 6, 2019. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||