H.R. No. 189
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Family and friends were deeply saddened by the death
of John Norman Wright Petry of Carrizo Springs on September 17,
2023, at the age of 77; and
WHEREAS, The son of Josephine White Wright Petry and Hinton
Booth Wright, John Petry was born in Laredo on December 25, 1945,
and he was raised from the age of two by his stepfather, Herbert
Charles "Herb" Petry; after attending Carrizo Springs High School,
he went on to graduate from Trinity University and St. Mary's
University School of Law; he served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to
1974, attaining the rank of first lieutenant; and
WHEREAS, In 1970, Mr. Petry joined the Petry & Petry Law
firm, and three decades later, he was hired by Langley & Banack; his
practice focused on the oil and gas industry and complex land and
mineral cases; dedicated to his profession, he was a member of the
Maverick County Bar Association and served as president of the
Dimmit County Bar Association; for two terms, he served on the State
Bar of Texas district grievance committee, and he was named a Fellow
of the Texas Bar Foundation; he retired in January 2023; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Petry was also a director of Union State Bank
for almost three decades, and he served the wider community in a
number of leadership roles, earning recognition as Dimmit County
Man of the Year; he was a member of the Carrizo Springs city council
from 1974 to 1978, and he served Lions International as a district
governor and ambassador of goodwill; an active member of Holy
Trinity Episcopal Church, he served for over 40 years as the
bishop's warden; he was an avid golfer and played a key role in
developing Carrizo Springs Municipal Golf Course; and
WHEREAS, Above all, Mr. Petry was devoted to his family; he
married the former Jill Little on August 10, 1968, and they became
the parents of two daughters, Jana and Jodi; eventually, they were
blessed with five grandchildren, and he instilled his love of the
land in them all; he loved hosting relatives and friends at the
ranch to hunt, drink wine, and enjoy the outdoors; and
WHEREAS, John Petry lived a rich and purposeful life centered
around his family, his faith, and his community, and those he left
behind will treasure their memories of his warmth and kindness;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of
John Norman Wright Petry and extend sincere sympathy to the members
of his family: to his wife, Jill Little Petry; to his daughters,
Jana Gordon and her husband, David, and Jodi Wood and her husband,
Michael; to his grandchildren, Michael "3Wood" Wood III, Catherine
Gordon, Payton Wood, William Gordon, and Henry Gordon; to his
brother, Hinton Booth Wright "Boots" Petry; 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 John Petry.
Morales of Maverick
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 189 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on November 7, 2023.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House