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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Residents of Tarrant County are mourning the loss of |
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| 6 | 7 | | former state representative Toby Ray Goodman of Mansfield, who |
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| 7 | 8 | | passed away on July 18, 2021, at the age of 72; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born to Dobbie and Johnnie Goodman in Wichita Falls |
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| 9 | 10 | | on November 2, 1948, Toby Goodman grew up with four younger |
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| 10 | 11 | | siblings, Mike, DeDe, Gary, and Joe; he graduated from Texas |
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| 11 | 12 | | Christian University and went on to earn his law degree at Baylor |
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| 12 | 13 | | University; in 1974, he was hired as an assistant city attorney in |
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| 13 | 14 | | Arlington, and three years later, he entered private practice in |
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| 14 | 15 | | family law; in the course of his career, he established the firm of |
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| 15 | 16 | | Goodman & Clark and taught as an adjunct professor at The University |
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| 16 | 17 | | of Texas at Arlington; devoted to his profession, he served as a |
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| 17 | 18 | | director of both the Arlington Bar Association and the Tarrant |
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| 18 | 19 | | County Family Law Bar Association, and he was a Fellow and Life |
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| 19 | 20 | | Member of the Texas Bar Foundation; and |
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| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, This dedicated public servant was first elected to |
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| 21 | 22 | | the Texas House in 1990, and his tenure in the state legislature |
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| 22 | 23 | | ultimately spanned 16 years, from 1991 to 2007; drawing on his |
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| 23 | 24 | | professional experience, he distinguished himself as chair of the |
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| 24 | 25 | | Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee for four of his eight |
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| 25 | 26 | | terms in office; his tireless efforts to reform the juvenile |
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| 26 | 27 | | justice system led to sweeping changes that were emulated across |
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| 27 | 28 | | the country, and he was instrumental in rewriting the Texas Family |
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| 28 | 29 | | Code; moreover, he championed the rise of UTA as a Tier 1 |
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| 29 | 30 | | institution, helping the university to attain support for |
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| 30 | 31 | | development, research, and building construction; his leadership |
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| 31 | 32 | | also benefited the Governor's Juvenile Justice Task Force and the |
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| 32 | 33 | | Attorney General's School Violence Task Force, as well as the |
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| 33 | 34 | | Tarrant County Civil Justice Task Force; known for his |
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| 34 | 35 | | collegiality, intellect, and problem-solving ability, he achieved |
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| 35 | 36 | | positive results through a strong work ethic and quiet |
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| 36 | 37 | | determination; and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, After leaving office, Mr. Goodman continued to |
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| 38 | 39 | | advocate for children, and he was a longtime member of the Greater |
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| 39 | 40 | | Arlington Chamber of Commerce, which presented him with its 2016 |
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| 40 | 41 | | Star Award; his other honors included being named Legislator of the |
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| 41 | 42 | | Year five times by Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates for |
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| 42 | 43 | | Children, and he also received that honor from the National Child |
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| 43 | 44 | | Support Enforcement Association and the Texas Council of Child |
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| 44 | 45 | | Welfare Boards; in addition, he was selected as one of the state's |
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| 45 | 46 | | Ten Best Legislators by Texas Monthly and as an Honorary |
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| 46 | 47 | | Distinguished Alumni by UTA; and |
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| 47 | 48 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Goodman and his wife, Gloria, shared a |
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| 48 | 49 | | fulfilling marriage of 38 years; he took great pride in his three |
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| 49 | 50 | | children, Brian, Lauri, and Christie, and in his four |
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| 50 | 51 | | grandchildren, Kaleigh, Abbie, Jordan, and Jackson; in his free |
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| 51 | 52 | | time, he enjoyed cheering on the TCU football team, traveling, |
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| 52 | 53 | | researching history, and telling stories, but nothing gave him more |
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| 53 | 54 | | pleasure than helping others; his wonderful sense of humor and |
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| 54 | 55 | | contagious laugh brightened the days of innumerable people; and |
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| 55 | 56 | | WHEREAS, Through his commitment to benefiting children and |
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| 56 | 57 | | families, Toby Goodman made a lasting, positive difference in the |
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| 57 | 58 | | lives of countless Texans, and although he will be deeply missed by |
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| 58 | 59 | | those he left behind, his contributions will continue to resonate |
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| 59 | 60 | | in the years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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| 60 | 61 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 61 | 62 | | Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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| 62 | 63 | | the Honorable Toby Ray Goodman and extend sincere condolences to |
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| 63 | 64 | | all who mourn his passing; and, be it further |
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| 64 | 65 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 65 | 66 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 66 | 67 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Toby |
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| 67 | 68 | | Goodman. |
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