H.R. No. 806
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The citizens of Grand Prairie bid farewell to a
respected elected official, educator, and civic leader with the
passing of former State Representative Billy Len Arnold on
November 27, 2023, at the age of 97; and
WHEREAS, Bill Arnold was born on August 17, 1926, in the small
farming community of Peerless in Hopkins County; he was raised by
his mother, Bessie Hope Evans Arnold, his grandparents, John and
Agnes Evans, and his uncles, Marvin, Bascom, and Sam Evans, and he
grew up with the companionship of four siblings, Jeff, Lasca, Mary
Jo, and Hellen; he was a member of the first graduating class at
North Hopkins School in 1944; answering his nation's call to duty,
he joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the light cruiser U.S.S.
Columbia in the South Pacific during World War II; following his
honorable discharge, he earned a degree from East Texas State
Teachers College, and he later received a master's degree in
education; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Arnold began his teaching career in Tyler, and
in 1954, he relocated to Grand Prairie; after several years in the
classroom, he was promoted to principal of an elementary school and
later a junior high; in 1968, he became the assistant
superintendent for business administration for the Grand Prairie
Independent School District, and he retired in 1986 as deputy
superintendent; throughout his tenure, he was active in a number of
professional associations, including the Texas Association of
School Business Officials, which he led as president for a term; and
WHEREAS, First elected to the Texas House of Representatives
in 1986, Mr. Arnold worked tirelessly in behalf of his constituents
in House District 106; during his three terms in office, he served
on numerous committees, including Elections, Public Safety, House
Administration, Public Education, and Rules and Resolutions, and he
was vice chair of the Public Safety Committee during the 71st and
72nd Legislatures; he concluded his tenure in January 1993,
following six years of exemplary public service; and
WHEREAS, Active in his community, Mr. Arnold was involved in
the Optimist Club as well as the Grand Prairie Rotary Club, where he
served as president and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow; he also
held the office of president of the Grand Prairie Chamber of
Commerce, served on the board of the YMCA, and contributed to a
number of Boy Scouts of America fundraising drives; among his many
accolades, he was named Citizen of the Year, and in 2002, Grand
Prairie ISD named Bill Arnold Middle School in his honor; and
WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Arnold enjoyed the love
and support of his wife, Laura, with whom he shared a rewarding
marriage that spanned more than seven decades; he took great pride
in their two sons, Bryan and Brent, and over the years, he had the
pleasure of seeing his family grow to include five grandchildren,
Clint, Kathryn, Walt, Ginny, and Tessa, and six
great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Harrison, Jack, Charlie, Maggie,
and Will; a man of deep faith, he was a devoted congregant of First
Baptist Church Grand Prairie, where he served as a deacon, Sunday
school teacher, and member of pastoral search committees; and
WHEREAS, Although Bill Arnold is deeply missed by those he
left behind, his life stands as an outstanding example of civic
engagement, and his contributions will continue to be remembered
and admired in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Billy
Len Arnold and extend heartfelt sympathy to all 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 Bill
Arnold.
Turner
Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw
Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw
Alders Guillen Morgan Alders Guillen Morgan
Alders Guillen Morgan
Allen Harless Muñoz Allen Harless Muñoz
Allen Harless Muñoz
Anchía Harris Noble Anchía Harris Noble
Anchía Harris Noble
Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Ashby Harris Davila Olcott
Ashby Harris Davila Olcott
Barry Harrison Oliverson Barry Harrison Oliverson
Barry Harrison Oliverson
Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz
Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz
Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr
Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr
Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bernal Hernandez Patterson
Bernal Hernandez Patterson
Bhojani Hickland Paul Bhojani Hickland Paul
Bhojani Hickland Paul
Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso
Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso
Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bowers Holt Perez of Harris
Bowers Holt Perez of Harris
Bryant Hopper Phelan Bryant Hopper Phelan
Bryant Hopper Phelan
Buckley Howard Pierson Buckley Howard Pierson
Buckley Howard Pierson
Bucy Hull Plesa Bucy Hull Plesa
Bucy Hull Plesa
Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Bumgarner Hunter Raymond
Bumgarner Hunter Raymond
Button Isaac Reynolds Button Isaac Reynolds
Button Isaac Reynolds
Cain Johnson Richardson Cain Johnson Richardson
Cain Johnson Richardson
Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos
Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos
Canales Jones of Harris Romero Canales Jones of Harris Romero
Canales Jones of Harris Romero
Capriglione Kerwin Rose Capriglione Kerwin Rose
Capriglione Kerwin Rose
Cole King Rosenthal Cole King Rosenthal
Cole King Rosenthal
Collier Kitzman Schatzline Collier Kitzman Schatzline
Collier Kitzman Schatzline
Cook LaHood Schofield Cook LaHood Schofield
Cook LaHood Schofield
Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft
Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft
Craddick Lambert Shaheen Craddick Lambert Shaheen
Craddick Lambert Shaheen
Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Cunningham Landgraf Shofner
Cunningham Landgraf Shofner
Curry Leach Simmons Curry Leach Simmons
Curry Leach Simmons
Darby Leo Wilson Slawson Darby Leo Wilson Slawson
Darby Leo Wilson Slawson
A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee
A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee
Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller
Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller
Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson
Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson
DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico
DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico
Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dorazio Louderback Tepper
Dorazio Louderback Tepper
Dutton Lowe Thompson Dutton Lowe Thompson
Dutton Lowe Thompson
Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Dyson Lozano Tinderholt
Dyson Lozano Tinderholt
Fairly Lujan Toth Fairly Lujan Toth
Fairly Lujan Toth
Flores Luther Troxclair Flores Luther Troxclair
Flores Luther Troxclair
Frank Manuel Turner Frank Manuel Turner
Frank Manuel Turner
Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Gámez Martinez VanDeaver
Gámez Martinez VanDeaver
Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut
Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut
Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos
Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos
Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell
Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell
Gates Metcalf Vo Gates Metcalf Vo
Gates Metcalf Vo
Gerdes Meyer Walle Gerdes Meyer Walle
Gerdes Meyer Walle
Geren Meza Ward Johnson Geren Meza Ward Johnson
Geren Meza Ward Johnson
Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton
Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton
González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of Dallas Moody Wilson
González of Dallas Moody Wilson
González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu
González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu
Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener
Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 806 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on April 23, 2025.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw
Alders Guillen Morgan
Allen Harless Muñoz
Anchía Harris Noble
Ashby Harris Davila Olcott
Barry Harrison Oliverson
Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz
Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr
Bernal Hernandez Patterson
Bhojani Hickland Paul
Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso
Bowers Holt Perez of Harris
Bryant Hopper Phelan
Buckley Howard Pierson
Bucy Hull Plesa
Bumgarner Hunter Raymond
Button Isaac Reynolds
Cain Johnson Richardson
Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos
Canales Jones of Harris Romero
Capriglione Kerwin Rose
Cole King Rosenthal
Collier Kitzman Schatzline
Cook LaHood Schofield
Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft
Craddick Lambert Shaheen
Cunningham Landgraf Shofner
Curry Leach Simmons
Darby Leo Wilson Slawson
A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee
Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller
Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson
DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico
Dorazio Louderback Tepper
Dutton Lowe Thompson
Dyson Lozano Tinderholt
Fairly Lujan Toth
Flores Luther Troxclair
Frank Manuel Turner
Gámez Martinez VanDeaver
Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut
Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos
Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell
Gates Metcalf Vo
Gerdes Meyer Walle
Geren Meza Ward Johnson
Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton
González of Dallas Moody Wilson
González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu
Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener