| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The passing of William Parks Johnson on January 1, |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | 2017, at the age of 93, has brought great sorrow to his loved ones |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | and neighbors in the city of Wimberley, where he was greatly admired |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | for his extraordinary generosity and kindness; and |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Bill Johnson was born in Houston in 1923 to Louise |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | Johnson and Parks Johnson, whose career in radio took the family to |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | nearly every state and another dozen countries during Bill's |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | childhood; after graduating from high school, he enrolled at The |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | University of Texas but interrupted his education to join the U.S. |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | Marine Corps when the United States entered World War II; as a first |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | lieutenant, he fought with his regiment in the Battle of Iwo Jima, |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | until being wounded and forced to return home with an honorable |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | discharge; and |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Resuming his studies at UT, Mr. Johnson pursued a |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | degree in geology and competed in swimming, serving as captain of |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | multiple conference championship swim teams; in 1947, following his |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | graduation, he married the love of his life, the former Mary Frances |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | Brown, with whom he shared a rewarding union that spanned nearly |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | seven decades; the couple moved to his family's ranch in Wimberley |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | and went on to raise five children, Lynn, Jock, Clay, Blake, and |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | Scott; and |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson first attempted to make a living through |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | ranching before taking a job as director of a start-up summer camp |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | under his old swimming coach; the environment at Camp Longhorn |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | proved to be an ideal fit for him, and he showed a special knack for |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | finding solutions to problems and a stubborn resistance to giving |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | up until a solution was found; he retired as camp director in 1978, |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | having left an indelible mark on the lives of many campers and |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | counselors, to whom he was always there to provide encouragement |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | and a sympathetic ear; and |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, A proud resident of Wimberley for the better part of |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | a century, Mr. Johnson served as a longtime leader in the chamber of |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | commerce and as a founding member of Cypress Creek Church, and he |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | also dedicated a great deal of time to collecting and publishing |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | information about Wimberley history; and |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Throughout the course of his life, Bill Johnson |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | seldom hesitated to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it, and |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | those he leaves behind will forever find inspiration in their |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | memories of his unfailing compassion, integrity, and friendship; |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | hereby pay tribute to the life of William Parks Johnson and extend |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | sincere condolences to all those who mourn his passing; and, be it |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | further |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
|---|
| 52 | 53 | | Bill Johnson. |
|---|