Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas House Bill HMR1005 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	State of Arkansas 1
4	4	95th General Assembly 2
5	5	Regular Session, 2025 HMR 1005 3
6	6	4
7	7	By: Representative Barker 5
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10	10	HOUSE MEMORIAL RESOLUTION 8
11	11	TO REMEMBER LAWRENCE ERVIN BEARDEN AND TO RECOGNIZE 9
12	12	HIS LIFETIME OF DEDICATION TO HIS FAMILY AND 10
13	13	COMMUNITY, THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND THE NATION. 11
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15	15	13
16	16	Subtitle 14
17	17	TO REMEMBER LAWRENCE ERVIN BEARDEN AND 15
18	18	TO RECOGNIZE HIS LIFETIME OF DEDICATION 16
19	19	TO HIS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY, THE STATE 17
20	20	OF ARKANSAS, AND THE NATION. 18
21	21	19
22	22	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden, formerly of Smackover, Arkansas, 20
23	23	passed away on Monday, February 3, 2025, at the age of eighty -six (86); and 21
24	24	22
25	25	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden was born in Chidester, Arkansas, on 23
26	26	April 14, 1938, to Walter and Ruby Bearden, and he graduated from Fairview 24
27	27	High School before earning a bachelor's degree in Business Administration 25
28	28	from Southern State College (now Southern Arkansas University) in Magnolia in 26
29	29	1961; and 27
30	30	28
31	31	WHEREAS, during his time at Southern State College, Lawrence Ervin 29
32	32	Bearden served as President of the Student Government Association and was an 30
33	33	active member of the Wesley Foundation, where he met Ann Oliver, the love of 31
34	34	his life; and 32
35	35	33
36	36	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden and Ann Oliver married in 1961 and 34
37	37	shared sixty-three (63) years of devoted marriage; and 35
38	38	36 HMR1005
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41	41	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden honorably served in the United States 1
42	42	Army Reserve, completing Basic Infantry Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 2
43	43	1957, and later commanding the 238th Transportation Company of Camden and the 3
44	44	458th United States Army Research Laboratory Stock Control Company of El 4
45	45	Dorado; and 5
46	46	6
47	47	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden retired from the United States Army 7
48	48	Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel after twenty -eight (28) years of service; and 8
49	49	9
50	50	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden had a distinguished career in the oil 10
51	51	industry, working for BHP as a production foreman and later as an independent 11
52	52	producer, contributing to the economic growth of Arkansas for more than four 12
53	53	(4) decades; and 13
54	54	14
55	55	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden was a passionate advocate for 15
56	56	education, serving twelve (12) years on the Smackover School District’s Board 16
57	57	of Directors, including serving as President of the Smackover School 17
58	58	District’s Board of Directors; and 18
59	59	19
60	60	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden later served four (4) terms on the 20
61	61	Southern Arkansas University Foundation’s Board of Governors, including three 21
62	62	(3) years as Chair of Southern Arkansas University Foundation’s Board of 22
63	63	Governors; and 23
64	64	24
65	65	WHEREAS, in 2016, former Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed Lawrence 25
66	66	Ervin Bearden to the Board of Trustees of Southern Arkansas University, where 26
67	67	he played a key role in advancing the university during a period of 27
68	68	significant growth, including the construction of new residence halls, the 28
69	69	President's House, the Poultry Education Facility, and the renovation of the 29
70	70	Alumni Center at both Southern Arkansas University and Southern Arkansas 30
71	71	University Tech; and 31
72	72	32
73	73	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden's generosity and commitment to 33
74	74	education led to the establishment of an endowment for the Southern Arkansas 34
75	75	University band program, resulting in the naming of the band hall in honor of 35
76	76	his father-in-law, Richard O. Oliver, Southern Arkansas University's first 36 HMR1005
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79	79	band director; and 1
80	80	2
81	81	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden was appointed to the Arkansas Workforce 3
82	82	Investment Board and Adult Education Study Committee by former Governor 4
83	83	Michael Dale "Mike" Huckabee in 2005 and was reappointed in 2008 by Governor 5
84	84	Mickey Dale "Mike" Beebe, demonstrating his lifelong commitment to workforce 6
85	85	development and economic progress in Arkansas; and 7
86	86	8
87	87	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden was deeply involved in his community, 9
88	88	serving as president of the Smackover Jaycees, the Smackover Library Board of 10
89	89	Trustees, and the Board of Administration at Smackover First United Methodist 11
90	90	Church, where he was also a Sunday school teacher, certified lay speaker, and 12
91	91	president of the Education Board; and 13
92	92	14
93	93	WHEREAS, his unwavering faith and compassion led him to participate in 15
94	94	six (6) mission trips to Haiti, where he worked to improve the lives of those 16
95	95	in need; and 17
96	96	18
97	97	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden was a loving and devoted husband, 19
98	98	father, grandfather, and great -grandfather who is survived by his wife, Ann 20
99	99	Oliver Bearden, his sons, Richard (Shirley) Bearden and Mark Bearden, his 21
100	100	grandchildren, Ashley (Alex) Campbell, Jordan (Tyler) Bearden, and James 22
101	101	(Anna) Bearden, his great -granddaughter, Aubrey Campbell, his sister, Linda 23
102	102	(Dick) Mosley, and many extended family members and friends who cherished his 24
103	103	presence; and 25
104	104	26
105	105	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden was preceded in death by his son, David 27
106	106	Bearden, his parents, Walter and Ruby Bearden, and his brothers, Frank 28
107	107	Bearden and Larry Bearden; and 29
108	108	30
109	109	WHEREAS, Lawrence Ervin Bearden's legacy of leadership, service, and 31
110	110	integrity will endure for generations to come; 32
111	111	33
112	112	NOW THEREFORE, 34
113	113	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL 35
114	114	ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 36 HMR1005
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117	117	1
118	118	THAT the House of Representatives remember Lawrence Ervin Bearden and 2
119	119	recognize his lifelong commitment to public service, education, economic 3
120	120	development, and faith, as well as his invaluable contributions to the State 4
121	121	of Arkansas and the nation. 5
122	122	6
123	123	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 7
124	124	provided to the family of Lawrence Ervin Bearden by the Chief Clerk of the 8
125	125	House of Representatives as an expression of the General Assembly’s deepest 9
126	126	condolences and highest esteem. 10
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