H.R. No. 1153
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Family, friends, and colleagues are mourning the
loss of Lloyd Franklin Pitts of Dallas, who died on March 16, 2009,
at the age of 98; and
WHEREAS, Frank Pitts was born in Wesson, Mississippi, on
October 7, 1910, to Addie Mae Sandifer and John Loyd Pitts; after
graduating from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson in 1930,
he attended Northwestern University; and
WHEREAS, In 1935, Mr. Pitts married the former Mary Martha
McCann, and the couple shared a fulfilling life together for 58
years, until Mrs. McCann's death in 1993; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Pitts began his working life with the Nu-Enamel
Paint Company of Chicago; from 1934 to 1937, he opened paint stores
for the company across Europe, and at the age of 29 he was made
president of the international company; his witnessing of the rise
of fascism in Italy and Germany during those years instilled in him
an intense love of the freedoms of his own nation; and
WHEREAS, Returning to the United States, Mr. Pitts became an
independent oilman, and he was a leader in the petroleum and natural
gas industry for nearly 70 years; he founded the Pitts Oil Company,
an oil and gas exploration services firm that continues to this day;
for 12 years, he was also the chief executive officer of an
international geophysical company; over the course of his
remarkable career, he participated in the drilling of more than
3,000 wells; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Pitts benefited his professional community
through his work as president of the Texas Independent Producers
and Royalty Owners Association for two terms and as chair of the
Industry Forum of the American Petroleum Institute; he served under
every secretary of the Department of Energy since 1977 as a member
of the National Petroleum Council, and he was appointed to the
Natural Gas Committee of the Independent Petroleum Association of
America and to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission; he was
also a dynamic representative of the industry before state and
national governmental bodies; and
WHEREAS, This outstanding entrepreneur was often honored for
his contributions to the petroleum industry; he received the Chief
Roughneck Award from the IPAA, the Pioneer of the Year Award from
the Texas Railroad Commission, the Legend Award from the Texas
Alliance of Energy Producers, the Mr. TIPRO Award, and the John
Rogers Award from the Southwestern Legal Foundation, among many
others; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Pitts contributed generously to his community as
well; he helped found and served as chair of the Dallas Council on
World Affairs, earning the council's H. Neil Mallon Award for
Distinguished Civic Service; he played a role in the formation of
the Dallas Opera, and he served as chair and executive committee
member of the Baylor University Medical Foundation and as a member
of the board of the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist
University; moreover, he endowed four SMU presidential
scholarships, a scholars fund, and a lecture series on oil and gas;
in addition, Mr. Pitts was president of the Park Cities Rotary Club,
a member of the Dallas Citizens Council, and a longtime member and
deacon of Park Cities Baptist Church; and
WHEREAS, Throughout a full and productive life, Frank Pitts
dedicated himself to his family, his career, and his community, and
the loved ones he leaves behind can take great pride in his
remarkable legacy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Lloyd Franklin Pitts
and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his
daughter, Linda, and her husband, William A. Custard; to his
grandchildren, W. Allen Custard III and his wife, Mason, Martha E.
Custard, Laura Custard Hurt and her husband, G. Ellison Hurt III; to
his brother, Troy N. Pitts; to his sister-in-law, Ida M. Olson; to
his cousin, Dr. Charles L. Lloyd, Jr., and his wife, Sandy; to his
four great-grandchildren; 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 honor of Lloyd
Franklin Pitts.
Keffer
Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1153 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 15, 2009.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas