Bill Text: TX HR240 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: In memory of former Arlington mayor, U.S. representative, and Tarrant County judge Tom J. Vandergriff.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-24 - Reported enrolled [HR240 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR240-Introduced.html
Bill Title: In memory of former Arlington mayor, U.S. representative, and Tarrant County judge Tom J. Vandergriff.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-24 - Reported enrolled [HR240 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR240-Introduced.html
82R6013 JEN-D | ||
By: Patrick | H.R. No. 240 |
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WHEREAS, The city of Arlington lost one of its most | ||
influential leaders with the passing of former mayor Tom J. | ||
Vandergriff on December 30, 2010, at the age of 84; and | ||
WHEREAS, Born in Carrollton on January 29, 1926, Tom | ||
Vandergriff moved to Arlington when he was 11; after earning a | ||
degree from the University of Southern California in 1947, he | ||
returned home and went to work at the family car dealership; he also | ||
joined the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and assumed the presidency | ||
of that organization at the age of 23; and | ||
WHEREAS, Two years later, in 1951, Mr. Vandergriff ran for | ||
mayor and won; he went on to be reelected 12 times, spending a total | ||
of 26 years in office and leading the city through more than a | ||
quarter-century of dramatic progress and great change; he is | ||
credited with bringing numerous businesses to Arlington, including | ||
a General Motors plant and Six Flags Over Texas; in addition, he | ||
presided over the creation of Lake Arlington and worked to have | ||
Arlington State College made a part of The University of Texas | ||
System; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mayor Vandergriff was perhaps proudest of his | ||
efforts to attract a major league baseball team to Arlington, which | ||
came to a successful conclusion when he threw out the first pitch at | ||
the Texas Rangers' opening game on April 21, 1972; his interest in | ||
the ball club was such that he served as one of its broadcasters for | ||
a time, and he was inducted into the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of | ||
Fame in 2004; and | ||
WHEREAS, During his tenure as mayor, this dedicated elected | ||
official saw Arlington grow from 8,000 to more than 120,000 | ||
residents; despite his many responsibilities, he still made time to | ||
answer his own phone and mail, return all calls, and perform | ||
marriage ceremonies; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Vandergriff stepped down as mayor in 1977 but | ||
returned to public service after being elected to the U.S. House of | ||
Representatives in 1982 by the voters of the state's 26th | ||
Congressional District; he later distinguished himself as Tarrant | ||
County judge from 1991 to 2007, continuing to put his expertise to | ||
work in behalf of his fellow citizens; and | ||
WHEREAS, Widely respected for his tireless perseverance and | ||
ability to rise above partisan politics, "Mr. Arlington," as he was | ||
known, served as the chair of numerous civic organizations, on the | ||
boards of many community and governmental entities, and as a member | ||
of President Johnson's White House Commission on Urban Problems in | ||
the late 1960s; and | ||
WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, he enjoyed the love and | ||
support of his wife, Anna Waynette Vandergriff, whom he originally | ||
met in high school and married in 1949; they shared 60 rewarding | ||
years together before she passed away in 2009 and were the parents | ||
of five children; and | ||
WHEREAS, The city of Arlington, now one of the 50 largest in | ||
the United States, greatly benefited from the vision, initiative, | ||
and outstanding contributions of Tom Vandergriff, and his | ||
achievements will continue to influence the lives of North Texas | ||
residents for years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas | ||
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable | ||
Tom J. Vandergriff and extend sincere condolences to the members of | ||
his family: to his children, Vanessa Watters and her husband, Mark, | ||
Victor Vandergriff and his wife, Kristin, Valerie Kelton and her | ||
husband, Paul, and Viveca Vandergriff; to his grandchildren, | ||
Kendell Kelton, Rachel Kelton, Katharine Vandergriff, Parker | ||
Vandergriff, and Caroline Vandergriff; to his sister, Virginia | ||
Deering; 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 the | ||
Honorable Tom J. Vandergriff. |