88R7109 JGH-D
By: Price H.R. No. 569
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A life dedicated to the service of the Lone Star
State drew to a close with the death of the Honorable Richard Lee
Crawford of Amarillo on July 18, 2022, at the age of 71; and
WHEREAS, Rick Crawford was born in San Antonio on March 6,
1951, to Jack and Dolores Crawford, and he grew up with two
brothers, Michael and Steve Crawford, two stepbrothers, Johnny and
Scott Johnson, and a stepsister, Paula; he was raised in Fort Worth
and Amarillo and graduated from Tascosa High School, where he was a
star player on the football team; and
WHEREAS, An alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin,
Mr. Crawford was a devoted member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity
and worked his way through college as a real estate agent; after
graduating in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in business
administration, he settled in Amarillo and embarked on a successful
career in commercial real estate; and
WHEREAS, In 1988, Mr. Crawford was elected to represent
District 87 in the Texas House of Representatives, and during his
two terms in the legislature, he co-sponsored and helped to pass a
number of business-friendly bills, including the Worker's
Compensation Reform Bill, as well as the Wilson-Crawford Bill,
which established the Texas Lottery; he was a member of the
government efficiency, state affairs, county affairs, and public
safety committees, and he was vice chair of the public safety
subcommittee on budget and oversight; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Crawford went on to serve as special assistant
to House Speaker Pete Laney, and he represented the speaker on the
Texas Bond Review Board and oversaw the $192 million restoration of
the Capitol; in 1995, he was appointed as executive director of the
Texas State Preservation Board, where he played a vital role in the
design and development of the $78 million Bob Bullock Texas State
History Museum; during his tenure at the preservation board, he
also oversaw the South Capitol Grounds Project and the
redevelopment of the Capitol's parking system; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Mr. Crawford resumed his career in
commercial real estate in Amarillo, and that same year, he married
his longtime love, Janis "JR" Wilson; the couple delighted in
spending time with friends and following the fortunes of the Texas
Longhorns; they were members of First Presbyterian Church, and
Mr. Crawford was also active with the Amarillo Association of
Realtors and other trade groups; and
WHEREAS, Rick Crawford lived a rich and purposeful life
devoted to his family, his profession, and his fellow citizens, and
he leaves behind a legacy of service that will continue to inspire
all those who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Richard Lee
Crawford and extend heartfelt sympathy to the members of his
family: to his wife, JR Wilson; to his brothers, Michael Crawford
and his wife, Barbara, and Steve Crawford and his wife, Lynn; to his
sister-in-law, Carol; to his brother-in-law, Charley; to his
stepsister, Paula; to his nephews and nieces, Stephen, Chase, Eric,
Courtney, Caley, and Sarah; and to his other relatives and many
friends; 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 Richard Lee
Crawford.