| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 650 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the family and friends |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | of Royce Hopkins of Brookshire, who passed away on February 6, 2009, |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | at the age of 84; and |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born in Oklahoma on May 20, 1924, Royce Hopkins |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | joined the U.S. Army Air Corps at age 18 and served his country in |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | World War II; as a B-17 bomber pilot with the 8th Air Force, 306th |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Bomb Group, 367th Bomb Squadron, he flew 26 combat missions over |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Germany and earned numerous awards, including four Air Medals, five |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | Battle Stars, a Purple Heart, and two Presidential Commendations; |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | and |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Hopkins was honorably discharged in 1947 as a |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | 1st Lieutenant, and subsequently pursued his education at Texas |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | Tech University, where he was president of the International |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi; after graduating with a bachelor's |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | degree in accounting, he joined the Lynn Elliott Company and EIM in |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | Houston; and |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, His dedication and innovation led him to the |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | position of general manager of EIM, and during his 17-year tenure |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | with the company, he developed a unique flow valve controller that |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | was awarded a patent; in 1968, he became vice president and general |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | manager of Texas Steel and Wire, where he planned and oversaw the |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | construction of a new plant and was part of a five-member executive |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | committee that covered operations in Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | and Miami; and |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Hopkins became a group vice president of |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Davis-Walker Corporation when it purchased Texas Steel and Wire; he |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | played an integral role in the company's expansion into Tennessee |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | and Mississippi, and was a valued member of the executive committee |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | before his retirement in 1981; and |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Active in his community, Mr. Hopkins helped to |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | establish the Waller County Economic Development Partnership and |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | served on its board; in addition, he was a member and director of |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | the West I-10 Chamber of Commerce, member of the West I-10 Economic |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | Development Committee, and director of the Waller County Toll Road |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | Authority; he also supported the establishment of the Houston |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | Executive Airport, and his efforts helped the facility to gain FAA |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | approval; and |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Hopkins further shared his time with the 306th |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | Bomb Group Reunion Association, which he served as treasurer, and |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | assisted with the formation of the Thurleigh Airfield 306th |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | Bombardment Group Museum; he attended the First United Methodist |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | Church of Brookshire, where he was on the board of trustees, and, as |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | a committed Republican Party volunteer, he served as precinct chair |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | and as a member of the Waller County executive committee; and |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | WHEREAS, Royce Hopkins lived a rich and rewarding life, and |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | he will long be remembered with deep admiration for his myriad |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | contributions to his country and his community; now, therefore, be |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | it |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Royce Hopkins and |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | Mollie Hopkins; to his children, Sharon Harvey and her husband, |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | Peter, Kim Montag and her husband, Jeff, Kit Hopkins, and Mike |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | Hopkins and his wife, Andrea; to his grandchildren, Chris Hopkins |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | and Jennifer Shepherd; to his sisters, Joye McLain and Lois Ann |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | King; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Royce |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | Hopkins. |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | Zerwas |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | I certify that H.R. No. 650 was unanimously adopted by a |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | rising vote of the House on March 12, 2009. |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|