H.R. No. 1757
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A life rich in meaningful service drew to a close
with the passing of former state representative Donald Eugene Lee
of Harlingen on August 26, 2012; and
WHEREAS, The son of William Eugene and Faye Hudson Lee, Don
Lee was born in Snyder on December 7, 1933, and graduated from
Raymondville High School; in 1957 he began a job with the Texas
Department of Insurance as a property rating territory supervisor,
soon moving to a private insurance agency, and then in 1966, he
became the sole proprietor of an insurance firm in Harlingen; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Lee's public service began in 1979, when he won
a seat on the Harlingen City Council; after completing his term, he
successfully ran for state representative from Cameron County in
1980 and was returned to office through two successive sessions; in
the Texas Legislature he served as vice chair of the insurance
committee and the public health committee and was on task forces on
medical care for indigent populations and economic development
along the border; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Lee also owned Town and Country Bank in
Harlingen from 1966 until 1987, when he returned to the Texas
Department of Insurance to help implement the coastal windstorm
insurance pool program for which he had advocated during his tenure
as a representative; he ended up staying at the agency beyond his
two-year commitment and oversaw 7 field offices with 75 inspectors
before he retired in 1994; and
WHEREAS, Deeply engaged in civic life, Mr. Lee belonged to a
number of organizations that included the Elks Lodge, the
Raymondville Masonic Lodge, and the Harlingen Noon Lions Club, and
his dedication and active involvement earned him the accolades of
Elk of the Year and Outstanding Lion of the Year; in addition to
serving in both the Ben Hur Shrine and the Royal Order of Jesters in
Austin, he was a board member and unofficial "mayor" of his
condominium homeowners' association; while in Harlingen, he
volunteered as drive chair for the United Way and the March of Dimes
and served on the boards of the local chamber of commerce, Boys and
Girls Club, and Firemen's Pension Fund; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed community leader was especially proud
of his work with the Jaycees, where he was declared Rookie of the
Year shortly before being elected president of the Harlingen
chapter; over the course of his leadership, the chapter became the
recipient of the coveted Giessenbier Award, was named Outstanding
Club in the state, and won a host of other top honors, a level of
achievement unprecedented in its 50-year history; he was
consequently designated Outstanding Area President and State
Outstanding President, and he went on to become an International
JCI senator while gaining further recognition with the
organization's Distinguished Service Award; and
WHEREAS, In his retirement, Mr. Lee continued to enjoy the
support of a devoted family that included his significant other of
nearly two decades, Kathy Hall, his three cherished children, and
his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; he treasured the happy
moments he shared with his circle of loved ones, among them numerous
close friends and neighbors to whom he was always willing to lend a
hand in any time of need; and
WHEREAS, Compassionate by nature and generous in spirit, Don
Lee is greatly missed by all those whose lives were enriched by his
kindness, his fellowship, and the myriad contributions that he made
to the communities he called home; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable
Donald Eugene Lee and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his
family: to Kathy Hall; to his sons, Delton Lee and his wife, Terri,
and Clayton Lee and his wife, Christi; to his daughter, Donna Lee
Cato, and her husband, Chris; to his grandchildren and
great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives and many 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 former
state representative Don Lee.
Lucio III
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1757 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 8, 2013.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House