| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Honorable James Ray Gayle III of Angleton passed |
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| 6 | 7 | | away on May 18, 2022, at the age of 84, leaving his loved ones and |
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| 7 | 8 | | friends to reflect on his remarkable life and his many years of |
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| 8 | 9 | | dedicated service to the community; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, J. Ray Gayle was born in Houston on October 29, 1937, |
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| 10 | 11 | | to James Ray Gayle Jr. and Lavenia Brewer Gayle, and he grew up with |
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| 11 | 12 | | the companionship of a sister, Janice; he competed on the |
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| 12 | 13 | | basketball, baseball, and track teams at Angleton High School, and |
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| 13 | 14 | | he continued to distinguish himself athletically as a pole vaulter |
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| 14 | 15 | | at The University of Texas; after earning an accounting degree in |
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| 15 | 16 | | 1960, he graduated from the UT School of Law in 1966; he served his |
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| 16 | 17 | | country as a member of the United States Navy and the Naval Reserve, |
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| 17 | 18 | | attaining the rank of lieutenant; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In 1966, Mr. Gayle began his career as a felony |
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| 19 | 20 | | prosecutor for Midland County; he worked for several years as a |
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| 20 | 21 | | trial attorney in Texarkana and Angleton, and in 1973, he was |
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| 21 | 22 | | appointed judge of County Court at Law No. 1 in Brazoria County; |
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| 22 | 23 | | five years later, he successfully ran for judge of the 239th |
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| 23 | 24 | | District Court, and he was returned to office by county voters for |
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| 24 | 25 | | five successive terms for 24 years of service; he retired from that |
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| 25 | 26 | | post and assumed senior judge status in 2003; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Judge Gayle was a member of the State Bar of Texas, |
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| 27 | 28 | | the Brazoria County Bar Association, and the Texas Bar Foundation; |
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| 28 | 29 | | he gave back to his fellow citizens through his service as an elder |
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| 29 | 30 | | and trustee of the First Presbyterian Church of Angleton, as |
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| 30 | 31 | | president of the Angleton Lions Club and the Angleton Wildcat |
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| 31 | 32 | | Athletic Booster Club, and as a member of the Greater Angleton |
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| 32 | 33 | | Chamber of Commerce; he also coached both Little League and Babe |
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| 33 | 34 | | Ruth baseball, and in recognition of his civic involvement, he |
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| 34 | 35 | | received the Boy Scouts' 2018 Golden Eagle Award and the 2022 |
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| 35 | 36 | | Community Champion Award; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Judge Gayle enjoyed the love |
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| 37 | 38 | | and support of his wife of 58 years, Nancy, their children, Shannon |
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| 38 | 39 | | Gayle Sebesta and her husband, the Honorable Pat Sebesta, and James |
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| 39 | 40 | | Ray "Chip" Gayle IV and his wife, Parrish Gayle, and their |
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| 40 | 41 | | grandchildren, Patrick Sebesta and his wife, Keri, William, |
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| 41 | 42 | | Christopher, Annabelle, and John Sebesta, and Jessica Gayle; and |
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| 42 | 43 | | WHEREAS, A devoted family man, a proud veteran, and a pillar |
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| 43 | 44 | | of his community, J. Ray Gayle leaves behind a legacy of service |
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| 44 | 45 | | that will forever inspire all those who held him dear; now, |
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| 45 | 46 | | therefore, be it |
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| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 47 | 48 | | hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable James Ray Gayle III |
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| 48 | 49 | | and extend sincere sympathy to those who mourn his passing; and, be |
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| 49 | 50 | | it further |
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| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 51 | 52 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 52 | 53 | | Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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| 53 | 54 | | J. Ray Gayle. |
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