H.R. No. 231
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Memories of a life well lived remain to comfort the
family and friends of Neal Gay, who passed away on August 11, 2022,
at the age of 96; and
WHEREAS, Born on June 25, 1926, in Dallas, Neal Gay was the
son of Elsie Mae and Malond Gay; he joined the U.S. Coast Guard when
he was 17, and shortly thereafter, he was transferred to the
U.S. Navy; he served in World War II for about a year until he was
injured while shipboard; after returning home, he entered his first
rodeo in Atoka, Oklahoma, in 1945, and he became an early member of
the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association; he went on to
distinguish himself as a talented steer wrestler and saddle bronc,
bareback, and bull rider; in his early years, he supported his rodeo
endeavors by selling used cars and real estate; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Gay embarked on a long and successful career as
a rodeo producer in May 1958, when he opened the Mesquite
Championship Rodeo; he served as its founder and producer for 51
years, and he and his family also went on to manage many other North
Texas rodeos throughout the 1970s and 1980s; furthermore, he was
the contract producer of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo for
over four decades; in recognition of his many accomplishments, he
was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame, the Texas Trail of
Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Texas Cowboy Hall of
Fame, and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Gay enjoyed the love and
support of his treasured family, including his wife, Kay, his sons,
Pete, Donnie, and Jim, and his granddaughters, Talli, Megan, and
Summer; he was known for his integrity, his keen business sense, and
his strong faith, as well as his love for his ranch and his
livestock; and
WHEREAS, A devoted family man and a true Texas cowboy, Neal
Gay leaves behind a legacy that will long resonate in the Lone Star
State and beyond; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Neal Gay and extend
deepest condolences to all those who mourn his passing; 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 Neal Gay.
Geren
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 231 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on March 8, 2023.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House