88R17257 EME-D
By: Collier H.R. No. 582
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The passing of admired civic leader Devoyd Jennings
of Fort Worth on July 24, 2021, at the age of 73, brought a great
loss to his family and friends; and
WHEREAS, Born in Los Angeles, California, on September 10,
1947, "Dee" Jennings was the son of William and Margaret Jennings;
he grew up in Fort Worth and attended I. M. Terrell High School and
Tarrant County Community College before completing his bachelor's
degree in marketing at Texas Wesleyan University; in 1973, he began
working for Texas Electric as a consumer specialist, and during his
noteworthy 27-year career with the company, he became its first
African American lobbyist; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Jennings was involved in many business and civic
organizations and served as president and CEO of the Fort Worth
Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce; he was instrumental in its
establishment of two leadership programs, Paths Forward and BRIDGE;
in addition, he helped create two standalone organizations that
directly benefit minority development, the William Mann Jr.
Community Development Corporation and Southeast Fort Worth
Incorporated; he further served as chair of the North Texas Tollway
Authority's Business Diversity Advisory Committee and worked
tirelessly with public officials and others to advance minority-
and women-owned businesses; deeply committed to education, he was a
member of the board of Texas Wesleyan University for nearly two
decades; he successfully championed the refurbishing of his old
elementary school, G. W. Carver, and the reopening of I. M. Terrell
as a STEM and performing arts academy; moreover, he was an active
alumnus of the I. M. Terrell Class of 1966; the recipient of
numerous accolades, he was honored by the City of Fort Worth in 1992
and 2005 with proclamations of Devoyd Jennings Day; he was also
recognized three times by the Fort Worth Business Press, most
recently with a 2017 Minority Leaders in Business Award; and
WHEREAS, Devoted to his family, Mr. Jennings shared a
fulfilling 41-year marriage with his wife, Gwen; he took great
pride in his 5 children, Charles, Robert, Demeka, Carla, and
Sharla, as well as his 11 grandchildren, Gerome, Jasmine, Jordan,
Isis, Kyzier, Zion, Anthony, Dominique, Lala, Jared, and Yancy, and
his great-granddaughter, Princess; in his free time, he enjoyed
listening to jazz and playing basketball; and
WHEREAS, Dee Jennings gave freely of his time and expertise
to better his community, and his record of service will be a lasting
source of inspiration to all who were privileged to know him; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Devoyd "Dee" Jennings
and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; 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 Dee
Jennings.