81R15354 JNC-D
By: Sheffield H.R. No. 989
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever cherish their
memories of John Fullerton Sammons of Temple, who passed away on
March 3, 2009, at the age of 86; and
WHEREAS, A native of Georgia, Mr. Sammons was born on August
12, 1922, to Ulmont Bransford Sammons and Emma Lizzie Fullerton
Sammons; he earned his bachelor's degree with honors from the
University of Georgia, where he was active in numerous campus clubs
and organizations, including ROTC, through which he became
commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Army; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sammons was a procurement officer stationed at
Fort Hood when he made a trip to Temple to buy supplies and found
himself at a hardware store owned by the father of the woman who
would become his wife; his diary recounts that he knew from the
first moment they met that Marilyn Laramey was the girl he would
someday marry; and
WHEREAS, Serving in the European theater during World War II
as a lieutenant in the 3rd Army under the command of General George
S. Patton, Mr. Sammons was part of the second wave of soldiers to
arrive at Omaha Beach; he left a detailed written legacy of the
battles fought, friends lost, and challenges faced, and the shared
experiences of war created a lasting bond between him and his fellow
soldiers; and
WHEREAS, Returning to civilian life, he married Marilyn
Laramey on August 3, 1946, at Grace Presbyterian Church, a
congregation he later served as an elder, Sunday school teacher,
and church treasurer; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sammons joined the family business and
eventually became the president and co-owner of Temple Supply
Company; active in local affairs, he was a Mason, a member of the
Kiwanis Club, and a Shriner for more than 50 years; he also served
as vice president of the Temple Jaycees and the Temple Chamber of
Commerce; and
WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known John Sammons
will remember his enduring love of his family, his community, and
his country, and although he will be deeply missed, his legacy will
live on in the hearts of those whose lives he so richly blessed;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of John Fullerton
Sammons and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his
family: to his wife, Marilyn Sammons; to his son, John F.
Sammons, Jr.; to his daughter, Lynn Sammons Darst; to his five
grandchildren and six 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 John
Sammons.