| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1237 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The life of an admired coach and educator drew to a |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | close with the passing of Richard P. Sheffield of Jacksonville on |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | March 17, 2009, at the age of 84; and |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Born on May 17, 1924, in the community of Blox in |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | Jasper County, Dick Sheffield lettered in four sports at Kirbyville |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | High School and went on to play football and basketball at Lamar |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Junior College; his studies were interrupted by service in the |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Pacific Theater of World War II as a member of the U.S. Navy, but he |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | returned to Lamar in 1946 and then went on to be an outstanding |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | football player at Tulane University, earning invitations to the |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Blue-Gray and Senior Bowl all-star games; and |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Following his graduation from Tulane, Mr. Sheffield |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | entered the coaching ranks at Beaumont High School, ultimately |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | becoming the team's head coach and winning a district championship |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | in 1956; two years later, he became assistant coach at Jacksonville |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | High School under Bum Phillips, Mr. Sheffield's former college |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | teammate; when Coach Phillips departed in 1959, Mr. Sheffield |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | became the Indians' head coach, beginning a 12-year tenure that |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | made him a well-known figure among football enthusiasts in East |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | Texas; and |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, His Jacksonville High teams distinguished |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | themselves with their fierce competitiveness and frequently |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | battled for the district crown; in 1960 and 1962, he took his team |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | to the semifinal round in the state playoffs, and in 1970, his final |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | season on the Jacksonville sidelines, the Indians reached the |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | quarterfinals; on-field wins were only one measure of Coach |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Sheffield's success, however; he was also renowned for his ability |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | to mold young athletes into responsible adults who came to |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | understand the value of hard work and perseverance, and he remained |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | a valued mentor for many of his players long after their high school |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | days had ended; highly respected in the Jacksonville community, he |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | was named the city's Man of the Year in 1960 and 1970; and |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, After concluding his service at Jacksonville High, |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | he returned to coaching in 1979 with the eighth-grade team in |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | Henderson, and he also garnered an Outstanding Teacher of the Year |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | award in 1984 for his work with Henderson students; Coach Sheffield |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | was a member of the board of directors for the Texas High School |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | Coaches Association and was inducted into that organization's |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | Balfour Hall of Honor in 1987; he was also an active member of |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | Central Baptist Church in Jacksonville for 51 years; and |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | WHEREAS, Dick Sheffield leaves behind a legacy of leadership, |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | dedication, and concern for others, and memories of his words and |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | actions will continue to inspire his loved ones and the many |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | individuals he coached and taught through the years; now, |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | therefore, be it |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Richard P. Sheffield |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | and extend deepest condolences to the members of his family: to his |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | wife of 58 years, Betty Braden Sheffield; to his son, Richard Braden |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | Sheffield; to his daughter, Suzanne Sheffield; to his |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | grandchildren, Sara Dell'Omo and her husband, Tom, Richard |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | Sheffield and his wife, Crystal, and Stephen Sheffield; to his |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | great-grandson, Leo Dell'Omo; to his daughter-in-law, Mariagrazia |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | Sheffield; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | further |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Richard P. |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | Sheffield. |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | Hopson |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1237 was unanimously adopted by a |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | rising vote of the House on April 16, 2009. |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|