H.R. No. 2905
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life has drawn to a close with
the death of business and civic leader Tracy Wayne Edwards of Dumas
on February 7, 2015, at the age of 85; and
WHEREAS, Wayne Edwards was born near Littlefield on September
15, 1929, to Dick and Ruth Edwards, and he acquired a strong work
ethic at an early age by working on his parents' cotton farm; after
high school, he attended Amarillo College and went to work for
Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home; and
WHEREAS, In 1949, Mr. Edwards moved to Dumas, where he met
his future wife, Fern Covington; they married in 1951, beginning a
journey together that spanned more than six decades; the couple
were blessed with four children, Belinda, Teresa, Tracy, and Gary,
and later welcomed into their family four grandsons and four
great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards embarked on a new career in 1953, when
he joined the sales staff of Scott Spencer Motors; he went on to
work for Steve Johnston Chevrolet, and he cofounded Witt-Edwards
Pontiac and Buick in 1964; eight years later, Mr. Edwards opened
his own dealership, Edwards Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge, which
remains in the family today; and
WHEREAS, A leader in his profession, Mr. Edwards served on
the board of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association and
represented the Panhandle in the Chrysler Corporation Dealers
Association; he also served on the Chrysler Corporation Dealers
Council; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards contributed to his community as well,
serving as president of the Jaycees, the Noon Lions Club, the Dumas
long-range planning commission, and the Moore County Hospital
Board; he also served on the Dumas Industrial Development Board,
the City Zoning Board, and the Moore County Fair Association board;
he was a charter member, and the longest serving member, of the
Window on the Plains Museum board, and he headed the special
division of the United Way, where for two years in a row he helped
the group meet 100 percent of its fund-raising target; and
WHEREAS, A man of strong religious faith, Mr. Edwards was a
Sunday school superintendent, a youth fellowship sponsor, and a
member of the board of stewards of First Methodist Church; he later
joined First Baptist Church, where he was chair of the deacon board;
and
WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan's many honors include the Joyce
Dillow Heritage Award, the Good Neighbor Award, and the Citizen of
the Year Award from the Dumas Chamber of Commerce; he also received
the Melvin Jones Service Award from the Lions Club and a lifetime
membership from the U.S. Jaycees and the Dumas Noon Lions Club, and
in 1986 he was nominated as Distinguished Texan of the Year by the
Dumas Board of Realtors; and
WHEREAS, A devoted family man, a respected businessman, and a
model of civic engagement, Wayne Edwards leaves behind a legacy of
service to others that will continue to inspire all those who knew
and loved him; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to Tracy Wayne Edwards and extend
sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Fern
Covington Edwards; to his daughters, Belinda Brice and Teresa
Edwards; to his sons, Tracy Edwards and his wife, Frieda, and Gary
Edwards; to his sisters, Charlsie Underwood and Betty Secker; to
his grandsons, Brad Brice and his wife, Heidi, Lee Brice and his
wife, Kellie, and Taylor and Alex Edwards; to his
great-grandchildren, Jackson, Garret, Leyton, and Emma Brice; 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 Wayne
Edwards.
Price
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2905 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 30, 2015.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House