H.R. No. 424 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the family and friends of Ben Randle, Jr., of San Antonio, who passed away on December 4, 2008, at the age of 83; and WHEREAS, Ben Randle, Jr., was born to Ben and Carrie Randle of Wichita Falls on April 25, 1925; he graduated from Peabody High School in Hillsboro and joined Wade Chapel at a young age, beginning what would become a lifelong association with the African Methodist Episcopal Church; and WHEREAS, Mr. Randle answered his nation's call to duty by joining the U.S. Navy in September 1943, and he was decorated several times for his valor in the Pacific theater; he enrolled in Langston University after the war and met the former Rita Belle Cotton, with whom he would enjoy more than 57 years of loving marriage; Mr. Randle earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial arts and lettered in band at Langston, and he furthered his education with postgraduate work at Oklahoma State University and the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio; and WHEREAS, After leaving college, Mr. Randle taught industrial arts and band in Oklahoma; a few years later, he returned to serve the armed forces as a jet engine instructor for the U.S. Air Force, earning his master instructor rating and going on to obtain his instructor of instructors license at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois; Mr. Randle began teaching for the education department of the air force in 1967 and continued in that capacity until his retirement in 1986, having served for more than three decades and earned multiple Civilian of the Year awards; and WHEREAS, An expert mentor with a natural gift for imparting life's lessons, Mr. Randle counseled troubled children and adults throughout his life; following his retirement, he lent his talents to the San Antonio Alliance of Business, helping facilitate employment for at-risk individuals; and WHEREAS, Mr. Randle was also an avid airman, belonging to the Air Force Aerial Club and the Bronze Eagles Flying Club of Texas, and he worked extensively with the Bronze Eagles and the Davis-Scott YMCA to interest minority youth in the field of flying; he loved gardening and frequently gave his vegetables to friends and neighbors, and he was a master of the tenor saxophone who at one time led his own jazz ensemble; and WHEREAS, This notable Texan was a longstanding member of the Bronze Eagles, the Black Pilots Association, and the Sunset Hunting and Fishing Club, and he spent five decades as a scoutmaster and scout council member with the Boy Scouts of America; he was a member of Bethel A.M.E. Church in San Antonio, where he worked diligently for the scout ministry, and was a former leader of the San Antonio chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; and WHEREAS, Beloved by his family and friends, Ben Randle was respected by all who knew him, and although he is deeply missed, his spirit lives on through the many positive contributions he made in service to others; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Ben Randle, Jr., and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Rita Belle Cotton Randle; to his cousins; to his nieces; 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 Ben Randle, Jr. McClendon 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. 424 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