SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 125
In Memory
of
Lonnie Pilgrim
WHEREAS, The life of a Lone Star business legend drew to a
close with the passing of Lonnie Pilgrim of Pittsburg on July 21,
2017, at the age of 89; and
WHEREAS, "Bo" Pilgrim was born in Pine on May 8, 1928, to
Gertrude Gunn Pilgrim and Alonzo Monroe Pilgrim, who owned the
local grocery store; after his father died and his mother
remarried, Mr. Pilgrim went to live on his grandmother's farm,
and as a teenager, he took jobs working on farms, hauling gravel,
picking cotton, and bagging groceries; and
WHEREAS, Following his graduation from high school,
Mr. Pilgrim became a partner in a feed store that his brother
Aubrey had recently bought in Pittsburg, and together they began
to expand the business; while serving in the United States Army,
Mr. Pilgrim saw large feed operations in California, and after
returning to Pittsburg, he and his brother began to invest in
hatcheries and chicken processing facilities; and
WHEREAS, The Pittsburg feed store would grow into the
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, one of the largest poultry
producers in the nation; after Aubrey Pilgrim died of a heart
attack in 1966, Bo Pilgrim developed a leaner, healthier chicken
product, with less fat and cholesterol, as well as nutritionally
enriched eggs; he also developed a way to sell whole chickens
with the bones removed, which won international attention; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Pilgrim was the company's chief executive
officer from 1968 to 1998, and during that time, he helped it grow
to include operations in 17 states and Mexico, with more than
35,000 employees; further he provided jobs and opportunities for
thousands, and he blessed countless people with his generosity;
in addition, he became the company's spokesperson, appearing in a
series of witty ads in which he wore a business suit and a black
pilgrim's hat; in later years, he saw the company through upturns
and downturns, and though he retired in 2010, he continued to
serve as a director until 2012; and
WHEREAS, A devoted husband and father, Mr. Pilgrim shared
61 years of marriage with the former Patricia "Patty" Redding,
and he took great pride in his three children, Ken, Patrick, and
Greta; with the passing years, he saw his family grow to include
six grandchildren, Clayton, Jake, Lonnie, Greta, Chesley, and
Shelby, and three great-grandchildren, Kate, Emily, and Gracie; and
WHEREAS, The Christian faith was an important part of
Mr. Pilgrim's life; in addition to being a member of First
Baptist Church in Pittsburg, he created a prayer park in the city
complete with a 75-foot tower and found numerous other ways to
share his religious message with others; he further benefited
area residents through a range of philanthropic efforts and
through the establishment of Pilgrim Bank; and
WHEREAS, Today, a 40-foot bust of Bo Pilgrim in his suit
and pilgrim's hat stands outside his company's plants, a reminder
of the towering figure he cut in his community, his state, and his
industry, and his accomplishments as a business and civic leader
and a champion for his faith will resonate for many years to come;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory
of Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim and extend heartfelt sympathy to all who
mourn his passing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns this day, it do
so in memory of Bo Pilgrim.
Hughes
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on August 10, 2017, by
a rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate