H.R. No. 2142
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Countless lives were touched by the faith and
leadership of Elder Cecil Ray Proctor of DeSoto, who passed away on
April 10, 2015, at the age of 69; and
WHEREAS, The son of Herman and Esther Alexander Proctor,
Elder Proctor was born on August 11, 1945, in Marquez and was
educated in the Frost school district; he married the love of his
life, the former Mollie Sharper, on April 25, 1970, and they became
the parents of five treasured children, Dawn, Yolanda, LaKitsha,
Rachel, and Gilbert; and
WHEREAS, In 1978, Cecil Proctor felt called to the ministry
and began hosting a small Bible study group in his home; he became a
licensed minister in the Church of God in Christ in 1987 and an
ordained elder in 1989; shortly afterward, he organized the
Neighborhood House of Prayer in Dallas, a church he guided with
selfless devotion for close to four decades; and
WHEREAS, Seeking additional ways to serve the community,
Elder Proctor established the Neighborhood Christian Learning
Center of Dallas, a licensed early childhood facility that partners
with the Dallas Independent School District pre-K school readiness
initiative; known to youngsters at NCLC of Dallas as "PaPa," Elder
Proctor led the center as its administrator until his health
declined, and he saw it recognized by the Texas Education Agency as
a Pre-K Center of Excellence; to date, the center has provided
services to more than 2,500 children in Dallas County; Elder
Proctor was also responsible for founding the Neighborhood Outreach
Center of Hope, a 24-hour, faith-based rehabilitation facility and
shelter for former inmates and individuals recovering from
substance abuse; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed clergyman also rendered outstanding
service to the Texas East Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church
of God in Christ; in 1984, he became the first adjutant to Bishop
James Edward Lee Sr., and he served additionally as assistant to
Superintendent Robert L. Nichols Sr. in the Spiritual Life
District; and
WHEREAS, Elder Proctor endeared himself to those in and
outside his congregation with his sunny demeanor and contagious
smile; he reached a wide audience in the Dallas/Fort Worth area
through his weekly "Prayer of Faith" radio broadcast, and he often
gathered with other pastors, politicians, and local leaders to
enjoy a meal and discuss how they could make their community
stronger; in 2006, he was honored for his myriad good works with his
induction into the Elite News Religious Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, With his kind and caring ways, Elder Cecil Ray
Proctor uplifted the hearts of numerous people, and he will long be
remembered with deep affection by his loved ones and by the dear
friends he made along life's journey; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Elder Cecil Ray
Proctor and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to
his wife, Mollie M. Proctor; to his daughters, Dawn Washington,
Yolanda Coleman and her husband, Anthony, LaKitsha Lee and her
husband, James, and Rachel Proctor; to his grandchildren, Keithan
Proctor, Jacniqua Washington, Christopher Washington, Shaquira
Walker, Jaya Lee, and James Lee III; to his great-grandchildren,
Niriyah Gahagan and Khrist'jan Walker; to his siblings, Christine
Cotton, Vernel Smith, Eloise Fields, and Johnny Proctor; to his
special son, the Reverend Mark Proctor, and his wife, Michelle; and
to his many 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 Elder Cecil
Ray Proctor.
Giddings
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2142 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 6, 2015.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House