H.R. No. 957
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The city of Pittsburg, Texas, lost a distinguished
community leader with the passing of the Honorable D. H. Abernathy
on September 24, 2008, at the age of 96; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Abernathy took a prominent role in the
government of his community for 57 years, 52 of which he served as
mayor; his service as an elected official began in 1949, when he was
elected to the city council, and concluded with his retirement as
mayor in 2006, when he was in his early 90s; during that period, he
missed only eight city council meetings, which is a testament to his
dedication to his work as a public servant; and
WHEREAS, Hailing from a prominent area family, Mr. Abernathy
was the great-great-great-nephew of W. H. Pitts, for whom Pittsburg
is named; he graduated from the city's high school in 1929 and went
on to attain a mechanical engineering degree from the University of
Oklahoma; employment in Oklahoma and Arkansas kept him away from
his hometown for a number of years, but he ultimately returned to
Texas and worked as the city electrical inspector for 23 years and
as an employee of Lone Star Steel for 30 years; he and his wife,
Laverne, raised three children and later had the pleasure of seeing
their family extend to third, fourth, and fifth generations; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Abernathy's dedication to his community and
county extended beyond his duties as an elected official; he was
active in the Camp County Arts Council, the Camp County Ambulance
Service, and First Methodist Church, and he was president of the
Camp County Chamber of Commerce; his input benefited regional and
state organizations as well, including the East Texas Council of
Governments and the Texas Municipal League, both of which he served
as president, as well as the Fire Advisory Committee for the Texas
Forest Service and the Northeast Texas Economic Development
District executive committee; and
WHEREAS, Committed to the ongoing development of
northeastern Texas, Mayor Abernathy became a vocal advocate for
improving the region's network of roads, and he was a founder and
president of the East Texas Gulf Highway Association and a member of
the Texas Good Roads/Transportation Association; his efforts were
honored with the Road Hand Award from the Texas State Highway
Commission and with the naming of D. H. Abernathy Boulevard;
moreover, his many achievements in office garnered a number of
other accolades through the years, including Man of the Year Awards
from both the Camp County Chamber of Commerce and the Pittsburg
Business and Professional Women; and
WHEREAS, D. H. Abernathy helped guide Pittsburg and the
surrounding area through an era that encompassed tremendous change,
yet his allegiance to faithfully serving his constituents was
constant, and his legacy of wise leadership will resonate far into
the future; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Mayor D. H. Abernathy
and extend deepest condolences to the members of his family: to his
wife, Laverne Abernathy; to his children, W. David Abernathy, Mary
Lou Spradling, and Betty Ann Harrel and her husband, Dennis;
to his 8 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 2
great-great-grandchildren; 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 Mayor
Abernathy.
Hughes
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 957 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on March 26, 2009.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House