Bill Text: TX HR139 | 2011 | 82nd Legislature 1st Special | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Dr. Charles A. Hunter of Dallas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-07-05 - Reported enrolled [HR139 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR139-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 139 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The city of Dallas lost an admired civic and | ||
| spiritual leader with the passing of Dr. Charles Alvin Maurice | ||
| Hunter on June 12, 2011, at the age of 85; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Born in Longview on May 7, 1926, Charles Hunter | ||
| graduated from Bishop College in 1947 and earned a bachelor's | ||
| degree in divinity from Howard University; he went on to earn his | ||
| master of divinity and doctor of theology degrees from Philadelphia | ||
| Divinity School and an additional master's degree from North Texas | ||
| State University; after serving as pastor of Trinity Congregational | ||
| Churches in Tallahassee, Florida, and Athens, Alabama, he moved to | ||
| Dallas and led the Hope, Glendale, and St. Luke Presbyterian | ||
| Churches before joining Oak Cliff Presbyterian Church as assistant | ||
| pastor; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Dr. Hunter became the first African American elected | ||
| as presiding officer of the Northeast Texas Presbytery and served | ||
| as moderator of Grace Presbytery and the Synod of the Sun of the | ||
| Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); in addition, he chaired the | ||
| peacemaking committee of Grace Presbytery and created its | ||
| multicultural conference, which evolved into one of the | ||
| denomination's popular national events; he was a mentor to many | ||
| people and touched countless lives in other countries through his | ||
| mission activities in places such as Nicaragua and Haiti; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A gifted educator, Dr. Hunter taught sociology at | ||
| Bishop College and became department director for both sociology | ||
| and urban affairs; he also served as an adjunct professor at | ||
| Southern Methodist University, The University of Texas at | ||
| Arlington, El Centro College, and Richland Community College; | ||
| moreover, he taught at the Dallas Police Academy and worked in | ||
| research and development for the Dallas Independent School | ||
| District; and | ||
| WHEREAS, One of the first African Americans to run for the | ||
| Dallas school board, Dr. Hunter served as a Dallas County precinct | ||
| chair and election judge for more than four decades; he began | ||
| working to improve race relations in the city in the early 1960s, | ||
| and in 1968 he formed the Amigos, a multicultural social | ||
| organization that sponsored picnics, movies, potluck dinners, and | ||
| other outings to bring together people of diverse ethnicity; while | ||
| serving on the board of the Greater Dallas Housing and Opportunity | ||
| Center, he developed and conducted surveys of housing patterns to | ||
| identify discrimination in the sale and rental of real estate, and | ||
| he became one of the first to integrate Oak Cliff; greatly | ||
| benefiting his fellow citizens, he gave generously of his time and | ||
| expertise as a member of the boards of the Dallas Peace Center, the | ||
| Alzheimer's Association of Greater Dallas, the Trinity River | ||
| Authority, and the Greater Dallas Community of Churches; he further | ||
| served as director of the Common Ground Credit Union and wrote a | ||
| column on racial matters for the Dallas Examiner; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Dr. Hunter enjoyed the | ||
| affection and support of his loved ones, including his wife, Annie, | ||
| and his daughter Alpha, who preceded him in death, as well as his | ||
| children Rhonda, Rhashell, Byron, and Rosalyn; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Dr. Charles Hunter made a lasting, positive impact | ||
| in Dallas and beyond, and although he will be deeply missed, his | ||
| dedication to his faith, his family, and his community will remain a | ||
| lasting source of inspiration to all who were privileged to know | ||
| this wise and compassionate Texan; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas | ||
| Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of | ||
| Dr. Charles Alvin Maurice Hunter and extend sincere condolences to | ||
| the members of his family: to his children, Rhonda Hunter, the | ||
| Reverend Dr. Rhashell Hunter, Byron Hunter, and Rosalyn Hunter; to | ||
| his sisters, Delores Simms and Dorothy Griffin; to his brother, | ||
| Julian Hunter; to his three grandchildren; and to his other | ||
| relatives and 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. Charles | ||
| A. Hunter. | ||
| Davis of Dallas | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 139 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
| rising vote of the House on June 28, 2011. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
