Bill Text: TX HR22 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Devoyd "Dee" Jennings of Fort Worth.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-10-07 - Reported enrolled [HR22 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HR22-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 22 |
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WHEREAS, The passing of admired civic leader Devoyd Jennings | ||
of Fort Worth on July 24, 2021, at the age of 73, brought a great | ||
loss to his family and friends; and | ||
WHEREAS, Born in Los Angeles, California, on September 10, | ||
1947, "Dee" Jennings was the son of William and Margaret Jennings; | ||
he grew up in Fort Worth and attended I. M. Terrell High School and | ||
Tarrant County Community College before completing his bachelor's | ||
degree in marketing at Texas Wesleyan University; in 1973, he began | ||
working for Texas Electric as a consumer specialist, and during his | ||
noteworthy 27-year career with the company, he became its first | ||
African American lobbyist; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Jennings was involved in many business and | ||
civic organizations and served as president and CEO of the Fort | ||
Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce; he was instrumental | ||
in its establishment of two leadership programs, Paths Forward | ||
and BRIDGE; in addition, he helped create two standalone | ||
organizations that directly benefit minority development, the | ||
William Mann Jr. Community Development Corporation and Southeast | ||
Fort Worth Incorporated; he further served as chair of the North | ||
Texas Tollway Authority's Business Diversity Advisory Committee | ||
and worked tirelessly with public officials and others to advance | ||
minority- and women-owned businesses; deeply committed to | ||
education, he was a member of the board of Texas Wesleyan University | ||
for nearly two decades; he successfully championed the refurbishing | ||
of his old elementary school, G. W. Carver, and the reopening of | ||
I. M. Terrell as a STEM and performing arts academy; moreover, he | ||
was an active alumnus of the I. M. Terrell Class of 1966; the | ||
recipient of numerous accolades, he was honored by the City of Fort | ||
Worth in 1992 and 2005 with proclamations of Devoyd Jennings Day; he | ||
was also recognized three times by the Fort Worth Business Press, | ||
most recently with a 2017 Minority Leaders in Business Award; and | ||
WHEREAS, Devoted to his family, Mr. Jennings shared a | ||
fulfilling 41-year marriage with his wife, Gwen; he took great | ||
pride in his 5 children, Charles, Robert, Demeka, Carla, and | ||
Sharla, as well as his 11 grandchildren, Gerome, Jasmine, Jordan, | ||
Isis, Kyzier, Zion, Anthony, Dominique, Lala, Jared, and Yancy, and | ||
his great-granddaughter, Princess; in his free time, he enjoyed | ||
listening to jazz and playing basketball; and | ||
WHEREAS, Dee Jennings gave freely of his time and expertise | ||
to better his community, and his record of service will be a lasting | ||
source of inspiration to all who were privileged to know him; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas | ||
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of | ||
Devoyd Jennings 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dee | ||
Jennings. | ||
Collier | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 22 was unanimously adopted by a rising | ||
vote of the House on September 30, 2021. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||