88R19235 BPG-D
By: Guerra H.R. No. 605
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Residents of McAllen are mourning the loss of
longtime civic leader and admired businessman Jack Earl Cawood, who
passed away on January 9, 2023, at the age of 92; and
WHEREAS, The son of William and Genevieve Cawood, Jack Cawood
was born in Harlan, Kentucky, on February 21, 1930, and at the age
of 13, he moved to McAllen with his mother; he served in the Civil
Air Patrol during World War II, hunting for German U-boats; after
completing his bachelor's degree in business administration at The
University of Texas at Austin, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force,
and he was stationed in Alaska and Idaho; he went on to serve for a
decade in the reserve and attained the rank of captain; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cawood pursued a career in real estate that
would span approximately 50 years; his warmth and charm were
ideally suited to the field, and he founded Action Realty and helped
develop several neighborhoods; dedicated to the advancement of his
profession, he was active in the McAllen Board of Realtors, the
Texas Association of Realtors, and the National Association of
Realtors; he was known for his honesty and integrity and pushed for
legislation to hold all Realtors to high ethical standards; in
1985, he was named Realtor of the Year by the Texas Association of
Realtors; and
WHEREAS, A pillar of his community, Mr. Cawood was a member
of the McAllen Lions Club for more than three decades and held the
office of president; he also served as chair of the McAllen
Municipal Hospital Board, and he mentored youth as a Boy Scout
master and merit badge counselor; in addition, he used his
influence to get potholes filled and street lights repaired; he was
a cofounder of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, which later merged
with Texans for Lawsuit Reform; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cawood shared a fulfilling marriage of 58 years
with his wife, the former Margaret Louise Berens; they were the
parents of two sons, William and Paul, and a daughter, Mary Ann; an
avid outdoorsman, Mr. Cawood loved teaching his children how to
hunt, fish, and camp; in 2007, he and his wife retired to Blue Skies
of Texas in San Antonio, where they enjoyed their shared interest in
the Commemorative Air Force and wood carving; Mrs. Cawood preceded
her husband in death; and
WHEREAS, Although Jack Cawood is sadly missed, he leaves
behind a record of civic engagement that his loved ones can remember
with pride; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Jack Earl Cawood and
extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his
children, Mary Ann Cawood and Paul Cawood and his wife, Candace; to
his brother, William Cawood; to his grandchildren; and to his many
other relatives and 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 Jack Earl
Cawood.