H.R. No. 2878
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the
death of Richard John Avery, Jr., of Dallas, who passed away on May
22, 2009, at the age of 83; and
WHEREAS, Born in Dallas on August 15, 1925, Mr. Avery was a
devoted member of the Catholic faith and a longtime parishioner of
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church; as a young man, he answered his
nation's call to duty with service as a pilot trainee in the U.S.
Air Force, and he studied management engineering at Texas A&M
University; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Avery was a dedicated and supportive father and
grandfather and a loving husband to his wife, Rose Marie, with whom
he shared nearly six decades of marriage; through the years, their
family grew to include 8 children, Christine, Cathy, Richard,
Patricia, Kenneth, Tom, Teresa, and Alan, as well as 21
grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, The founder and president of Avery Air Conditioning,
Mr. Avery also served as president of the Air Conditioning and
Refrigeration Contractors Association; in addition, he taught
classes in air conditioning and refrigeration for the Dallas County
Community College District; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Avery was a man of diverse interests, enjoying
ranching, gardening, beekeeping, and making wine, and he held three
patents for his inventions; he was a longtime member and former
president of the Greater North Texas Orchid Society and a founding
member of the Richardson Kiwanis Club; he also helped build the
first African American Catholic church in Dallas County; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan's many achievements reflect the
enthusiasm and determination he brought to all aspects of his life,
and his loved ones will continue to be inspired by their memories of
him; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Richard John Avery,
Jr., and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to
his wife, Rose Marie Avery; to his children, Christine Harrell,
Cathy Tipton, Richard Avery and his wife, PJ, Patricia Tavangaran,
Kenneth Avery and his wife, Jan, Tom Avery and his wife, Debbie,
Teresa Dean and her husband, Charles, and Alan Avery and his wife,
Tricia; to his 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; to his
brothers, Charlie Avery and his wife, Betty, Robert Avery and his
wife, Barbara, and Bill Avery; 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 memory of Richard
Avery.
Corte
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2878 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 30, 2009.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House