Bill Text: TX HR548 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Dee J. Kelly of Fort Worth.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)
Status: (Passed) 2017-03-16 - Reported enrolled [HR548 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HR548-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 548 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost a respected attorney and | ||
| civic leader with the death of Dee J. Kelly of Fort Worth on October | ||
| 2, 2015, at the age of 86; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Dee Kelly was born in Bonham on March 7, 1929; he | ||
| earned a degree at Texas Christian University, and while he was | ||
| studying law at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., | ||
| he worked in the office of Sam Rayburn, the legendary speaker of the | ||
| U.S. House of Representatives; Mr. Kelly interrupted his studies to | ||
| serve in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1953, rising to the rank of | ||
| first lieutenant; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Following his military service, Mr. Kelly resumed | ||
| his law studies and his work in Speaker Rayburn's office; he met | ||
| Janice LeBlanc, a student at Southern Seminary in Virginia, and the | ||
| couple were married in 1954; soon thereafter, he returned with his | ||
| bride to Texas, where he began his legal career at the Texas | ||
| Railroad Commission; over the next half century, he worked in | ||
| private practice, representing various influential clients in oil | ||
| and ranching, and as general counsel to companies such as Moncrief | ||
| Oil, Justin Industries, and Bass Brothers Enterprises; in 1979, he | ||
| was the founder of Kelly Hart & Hallman, the largest law firm in | ||
| Fort Worth; and | ||
| WHEREAS, For many years, Mr. Kelly was best known for his | ||
| civic and political engagement, both in Fort Worth and, at the state | ||
| level, as a friend and counselor for many politicians; he knew all | ||
| three presidents from Texas, Lyndon Johnson, George H. W. Bush, and | ||
| George W. Bush, as well as House Speaker Jim Wright and Senators | ||
| Lloyd Bentsen, John Tower, and John Cornyn, and he was especially | ||
| good friends with Governor John Connally; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Kelly served on the boards of AMR Corporation, | ||
| Sabre, Justin Industries, and North Texas Bancshares, and he was | ||
| likewise generous with his time as a board member for the Van | ||
| Cliburn Foundation, The University of Texas Law School Foundation, | ||
| the UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Center, Performing Arts Fort | ||
| Worth, and the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show; he | ||
| remained loyal to TCU, his Texas alma mater, for his entire life, | ||
| serving on the university's board for 32 years; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Among the numerous accolades Mr. Kelly received were | ||
| the Outstanding Citizen Award from the City of Fort Worth, the | ||
| Horatio Alger Award, the Blackstone Award from the Tarrant County | ||
| Bar Association, and the Citizen of the Year Award from the Longhorn | ||
| Council of the Boy Scouts of America; in 1999, he appeared on the | ||
| Fort Worth Star-Telegram list of the 10 most influential leaders in | ||
| Tarrant County in the second half of the 20th century, and both TCU | ||
| and George Washington University named buildings in his honor; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Kelly enjoyed the love and | ||
| support of a fine family, including his wife, Janice, with whom he | ||
| shared 61 years, as well as three children, Cynthia, Dee, and Craig, | ||
| and seven grandchildren, Ben, Kelly, Cate, Lynn, Camille, Patrick, | ||
| and Ryan; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Rising from humble beginnings in Bonham to become a | ||
| confidant and advisor to some of the most influential Texans in | ||
| recent history, Dee Kelly lived a rich and purposeful life, and he | ||
| leaves behind a legacy of achievement that will continue to | ||
| resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Dee J. Kelly and | ||
| extend sincere sympathy to all those 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 Dee Kelly. | ||
| Geren | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 548 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
| rising vote of the House on March 2, 2017. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
