H.R. No. 196
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the
death of Francis Xavier Flatley of Irving on January 3, 2013, at the
age of 84; and
WHEREAS, Frank Flatley was born in Boston in 1928 to Irish
immigrants Margaret Kelly and Patrick James Flatley; the oldest of
13 children, he had many happy memories of gathering with his
younger siblings to hear his father play Irish tunes; he graduated
from St. Mary's Catholic School in Brookline, Massachusetts, and
was subsequently accepted to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in
Kings Point, New York; and
WHEREAS, After graduating, Mr. Flatley proudly served his
country as a naval officer aboard the USS Kula Gulf; at the end of
the Korean War, he began working aboard Texaco oil tankers and was
later employed with Caltex for nearly four decades; he relocated to
the Dallas area when Caltex moved its headquarters to Irving and
remained there for the rest of his life; in his later years, he
worked as a reservations agent for American Airlines, where he was
warmly regarded by his coworkers for his sense of humor and cheerful
personality; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Flatley enjoyed a rewarding marriage of more
than three decades with his first wife, Elda Bello, who passed away
in 1982; fortunate enough to find love again, he met Paula Fuller
Bowman on a blind date to a Dallas Cowboys game; they married in
1988, and after Mr. Flatley's retirement, the two traveled and
enjoyed an active social life; they took great pride in their
blended family, and Mr. Flatley was affectionately known as "Pop"
to their many grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, A devout Catholic, Mr. Flatley attended Mass
regularly and served as a reader and a Eucharistic minister at
St. Michael's Catholic Church in Bedford, at the University of
Dallas, and at St. Luke's Catholic Church in Irving; he was also a
member of the Serra Foundation, which promotes vocations in the
Catholic priesthood; in addition, this dynamic Texan served as
president of the Irving Symphony Orchestra Association and was an
active member of the Rotary Club of Irving; he and his wife also
supported local theater and orchestra productions, as well as
TexasFest, a fund-raiser for the Irving Healthcare Foundation; for
his dedicated volunteerism, Mr. Flatley received the Irving High
Spirited Citizen Award; and
WHEREAS, With his kind and caring ways, Frank Flatley
immeasurably enriched the lives of countless people, and they will
forever hold him close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Francis Xavier
Flatley and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to
his wife, Paula Flatley; to his children, Gary Flatley, David
Flatley and his wife, Nan, Elizabeth Pia Richard and her husband,
Jeffrey, and Brian Flatley; to his stepchildren, Bret Bowman and
his wife, Deirdre, and Catherine Bowman Bundick and her husband,
Joel; to his grandchildren, Christopher, Kaitlyn, Meaghan, Kevin,
Michaela, Monica, and Mathew Flatley, Melissa Malmberg, Andrew
Costello, Elizabeth Bowman, Brittany, Blaise, and Gabrielle
Richard, Christine Dixon, and Garrett and Grayson Bundick; to his
brothers, James Flatley and his wife, Mary, Thomas Flatley and his
wife, Dorothy, William Flatley and his wife, Louise, Paul Flatley
and his wife, Joan, the Reverend Brian Flatley, and Kevin Flatley
and his wife, Cheri; to his sisters, Ellen Corey, Monica McIntyre
and her husband, Dr. James McIntyre, Sister Mary Flatley, Catherine
Peters, and Virginia Butler; to his brother-in-law, Dr. Frank
Pomer; 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 Francis
Xavier Flatley.
Harper-Brown
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 196 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on February 18, 2013.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House