H.R. No. 31 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The state of Texas lost a distinguished businessman and leader with the passing of Paul Derald Meek of Fredericksburg on June 15, 2007, at the age of 76; and WHEREAS, Born in McAllen to Valley pioneers William Van Meek and Martha Mary Sharp Meek on August 15, 1930, Paul Meek earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin; he began a noteworthy career in the petrochemical industry with Humble Oil and Refining Company in Baytown and went on to work for Cosden Oil and Chemical Company in Big Spring; after serving as president of Cosden and as a member of the board of directors of its parent company, FINA, he moved to Dallas in 1976 to assume the posts of chief operating officer and president of FINA; he later served as its chief executive officer and chairman of the board before retiring to his Hill Country ranch in 1996; and WHEREAS, In 1989, Governor Bill Clements appointed Mr. Meek to the Public Utility Commission, which he chaired until 1992; moreover, he served as chair of the Engineering Foundation Advisory Council at UT Austin, as director of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation, and as a member of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, the UT Longhorn Foundation, the UT Chancellor's Council, and the UT McDonald Observatory Board of Visitors; named a Distinguished Engineering Graduate by his alma mater, he also sought to encourage high school students to pursue careers in science, engineering, and math as an advisor and benefactor of IGNITE, an educational nonprofit with those aims; and WHEREAS, Mr. Meek shared 40 years of marriage with Betty Robertson Meek, and the couple were blessed with four daughters, Paula, Katheryn, Carol Ann, and Linda; following the death of his first wife, he was fortunate enough to find love a second time with Sue Etchison Meek, and they enjoyed a rewarding nine-year union; and WHEREAS, Through his expertise, dedication, and guidance, Paul Meek contributed tremendously to the Lone Star State, and he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to resonate for any years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Paul Derald Meek and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Sue Etchison Meek; to his daughters, Paula Burford and her husband, Scott, Katheryn Hasemann and her husband, Charles, Carol Ann Miller and her husband, Rusty, and Linda Meek; to his grandchildren, Mary Catherine and Charlie Burford, Margaret and Andy Hasemann, Natalie, Paul, and Michelle Miller, Robert and Mary Catherine Russo, and Samantha and Forrest Poorman; to his stepdaughters, Tracy Russo and her husband, Bobby, and Christy Garrison and her husband, Kenny; 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 Paul Derald Meek. Hilderbran 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. 31 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on February 26, 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