| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The citizens of Amarillo lost an exemplary public |
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| 6 | 7 | | official with the passing of city council member James Harold Simms |
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| 7 | 8 | | on November 12, 2014, at the age of 73; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born in Amarillo on January 1, 1941, Jim Simms was |
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| 9 | 10 | | raised in Clovis, New Mexico, and pursued his college education at |
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| 10 | 11 | | Eastern New Mexico University, where he earned degrees in business, |
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| 11 | 12 | | finance, and psychology; and |
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| 12 | 13 | | WHEREAS, Following graduation, Mr. Simms settled in |
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| 13 | 14 | | Amarillo; he operated the Mitchell Electric Company for 28 years |
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| 14 | 15 | | before selling the business in 1999, then worked for another 11 |
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| 15 | 16 | | years as a vice president of Amarillo National Bank; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Simms began his distinguished career in public |
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| 17 | 18 | | service in 1982, when he was elected to the board of the Amarillo |
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| 18 | 19 | | Independent School District, and he held that office for five |
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| 19 | 20 | | years, including a stint as board president; during the 1990s, he |
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| 20 | 21 | | was president of the Amarillo Hospital District board of managers; |
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| 21 | 22 | | and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, In 2005, this respected civic leader was elected as |
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| 23 | 24 | | the Place 4 representative on the Amarillo City Commission, and he |
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| 24 | 25 | | went on to earn reelection four times, most recently in May 2013, |
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| 25 | 26 | | six months before the city commission converted to a council; |
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| 26 | 27 | | during his time in city government, he worked tirelessly to benefit |
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| 27 | 28 | | his community and played an important role in securing additional |
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| 28 | 29 | | water resources and furthering economic development efforts; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Simms was active in state government as well, |
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| 30 | 31 | | accepting appointments from Governor George W. Bush as executive |
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| 31 | 32 | | chair of the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of |
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| 32 | 33 | | Texas and from Governor Rick Perry to become a member of the State |
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| 33 | 34 | | Securities Board; in addition, he was president of Kids Inc. and of |
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| 34 | 35 | | the Children's Learning Centers board of directors, and he worked |
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| 35 | 36 | | with United Way of Amarillo and Canyon; in recognition of his |
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| 36 | 37 | | accomplishments, he was named Man of the Year by the Amarillo |
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| 37 | 38 | | Globe-News in 1997; and |
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| 38 | 39 | | WHEREAS, A caring husband and father, Mr. Simms shared a |
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| 39 | 40 | | rewarding 57-year marriage with his wife, Freeda; they raised three |
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| 40 | 41 | | children, Jane, J. Fred, and Lee, and with the passing years, they |
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| 41 | 42 | | had the pleasure of seeing their family grow to include six |
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| 42 | 43 | | grandchildren; and |
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| 43 | 44 | | WHEREAS, A man of great integrity and ability, Jim Simms |
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| 44 | 45 | | dedicated himself to serving the city that he loved, and he leaves |
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| 45 | 46 | | behind a legacy of generosity and civic engagement that will |
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| 46 | 47 | | continue to inspire all those who had the good fortune to know him; |
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| 47 | 48 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 49 | 50 | | hereby pay tribute to the life of James Harold Simms and extend |
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| 50 | 51 | | sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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| 51 | 52 | | Freeda Simms; to his children, Jane Simms Gillette and her husband, |
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| 52 | 53 | | Greg, J. Fred Simms and his wife, Whitney, and Lee Simms and his |
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| 53 | 54 | | wife, Theresa; to his grandchildren, Jacob Gillette and Lila, |
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| 54 | 55 | | Benjamin, Luke, Ruby, and Fred Simms; to his brother, Mickey Simms, |
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| 55 | 56 | | and his wife, Irene; to his nephews, Gerald Wade Simms, Mitch Simms |
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| 56 | 57 | | and his wife, Mychelle, and their sons, Paden and Garret, and Gary |
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| 57 | 58 | | Simms and his wife, Amy, and their daughters, Rylee and Haley; and |
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| 58 | 59 | | to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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| 59 | 60 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 60 | 61 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 61 | 62 | | Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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| 62 | 63 | | James Harold Simms. |
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