H.R. No. 1787
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, At 100 years of age, John Henderson is the oldest
living football letterman of The University of Texas at Austin; and
WHEREAS, Born on December 24, 1912, John Henderson played for
the Longhorns from 1933 to 1935, when the university had only 7,000
students and Bevo was a relatively recent addition to the
sidelines; wearing the number 35 jersey, he played both offense and
defense, as most players did at that time, and he worked on campus
to help pay for his tuition, room, and board, because the university
did not offer football scholarships; and
WHEREAS, After graduating with his bachelor's degree in
education, Mr. Henderson married his college sweetheart,
Charlotte, and the couple moved to Port Arthur; he taught and
coached at a local junior high school for three years before going
to work for Humble Oil and Refining Company, which later became
Exxon Mobil; Mr. Henderson was employed by the company for 36
years, first in the controller's department and then as head of
business services; and
WHEREAS, This lifelong UT fan is a charter member of the
Longhorn Foundation fund-raising group that supports university
athletics; he has loyally attended home football games over the
course of six decades, often sitting with Mrs. Henderson in the
25-yard-line seats that they first occupied in the 1960s; in 2009,
the couple moved back to Austin to live in the Longhorn Village
retirement community, where Mr. Henderson is widely considered the
"unofficial mayor"; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Henderson, who passed the century mark in 2012,
stays fit by lifting weights and walking at least a mile each day;
even now, eight decades after he first wore his Longhorn jersey, his
weight is nearly the same as it was in his gridiron playing days;
and
WHEREAS, A lifelong participant in the rich tradition of UT
football, John Henderson is still proudly carrying on his duties as
a Texas Ex, and he is a source of wisdom and inspiration to all who
are privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby honor John Henderson, the oldest living football
letterman of The University of Texas at Austin, and extend to him a
hearty "Hook 'em Horns" and sincere best wishes for continued
happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Henderson as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Smith
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1787 was adopted by the House on May
8, 2013, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House