Bill Text: TX HR2411 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Robert Irwin "Bob" Kelly, former House parliamentarian and director of the Texas Legislative Council.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-29 - Reported enrolled [HR2411 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR2411-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 2411 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The Capitol community was deeply saddened by the | ||
| loss of Robert Irwin Kelly, former parliamentarian of the Texas | ||
| House of Representatives and director of the Texas Legislative | ||
| Council, who passed away on December 9, 2021, at the age of 73; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Born to R. D. "Dick" Kelly and Betty Kelly in | ||
| Texarkana, Arkansas, on June 2, 1948, Bob Kelly grew up with a | ||
| sister, Debra; he excelled as a student, athlete, Eagle Scout, and | ||
| youth community leader, and along the way, he also took dance | ||
| lessons, earning the nickname "the Dancing Bear"; after initially | ||
| enrolling at the University of Arkansas on a football scholarship, | ||
| he wisely transferred to The University of Texas at Austin; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Kelly joined the Texas Legislative Council as | ||
| the "Xerox copy boy" and became a protégé of Robert E. Johnson, then | ||
| the agency's director and House parliamentarian; while learning the | ||
| ins and outs of legislative procedure and strategy, Mr. Kelly was | ||
| also embraced as a dear friend by the entire Johnson family; through | ||
| hard work and dedication, he became assistant parliamentarian, and | ||
| in 1981, Speaker Bill Clayton announced his appointment as | ||
| parliamentarian; and | ||
| WHEREAS, During his 21-year tenure as parliamentarian and | ||
| director of the Texas Legislative Council, Mr. Kelly also served | ||
| under Speakers Gib Lewis and Pete Laney; he taught rules classes, | ||
| mentored hundreds of council employees and freshman lawmakers, and | ||
| mediated battles between the political parties, demonstrating a | ||
| rare, statesmanlike ability to help people overcome their | ||
| differences; fiercely loyal to council staff, he was very | ||
| protective when legislators publicly attributed a drafting error or | ||
| undue delay to council staff; he was a brilliant tactician, | ||
| choosing his battles carefully, and although he set an example of | ||
| cordiality, he knew the value of a well-timed curse word, and he | ||
| made it a point to remember when someone was untruthful or broke a | ||
| promise; his efforts were always guided by respect for the | ||
| constitutions of the United States and Texas, as well as a profound | ||
| sense of public service; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Kelly was committed to the long-term success of | ||
| the Legislature; he oversaw the introduction of computers and | ||
| information technology to the legislative branch, and he was | ||
| instrumental in the development of the Robert E. Johnson Office | ||
| Building as a proper permanent home for the legislative support | ||
| agencies; in retirement, he continued to serve as a wise elder, | ||
| providing counsel to parliamentarians, legislators, and staff | ||
| alike; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Kelly enjoyed many interests in his free time; | ||
| an avid golfer, he was a longtime member of Onion Creek Club; he | ||
| spent many happy hours hunting birds in Mexico and Port O'Connor in | ||
| the company of friends, and he maintained a private pilot's license | ||
| for years; he was a member of the board of the Coastal Conservation | ||
| Association Texas, a lifetime member of the Texas Trophy Hunters | ||
| Association, and a proud member of the Masonic Lodge; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Above all, Mr. Kelly was devoted to his wife, Susan | ||
| Stewart; they traveled, dined, and entertained extensively, but | ||
| their most treasured moments were spent together on their QA Ranch | ||
| outside Seguin, where the couple had settled near Mr. Kelly's dear | ||
| friend, the late Representative Edmund Kuempel; in his retirement | ||
| years, Mr. Kelly delighted in managing the ranch and watching the | ||
| deer and other critters; following his passing, he was laid to rest | ||
| shoulder-to-shoulder with iconic musician Jerry Jeff Walker at the | ||
| Texas State Cemetery, where the two of them no doubt entertain one | ||
| another with songs and yarns, and indulge in an occasional Lone | ||
| Star; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Bob Kelly dedicated his long and noteworthy career | ||
| to the betterment of Texas, earning the lasting respect and | ||
| admiration of all who were privileged to know him, and his | ||
| contributions to state government will continue to resonate for | ||
| many years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Robert Irwin Kelly | ||
| 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 Bob Kelly. | ||
| Kuempel | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 2411 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
| rising vote of the House on May 29, 2023. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
