By:AAKing of Taylor H.R.ANo.A2856

RESOLUTION

1 WHEREAS, Residents of Abilene lost a respected jurist and a

2 beloved friend with the passing of former state representative

3 Raleigh Holden Brown on May 23, 2009, at the age of 87; and

4 WHEREAS, Born in Shreveport, , on December 10, 1921,

5 Raleigh Brown was raised in Murfreesboro, , and attended

6 Middle Tennessee State University; he served in the

7 Army during World War II, and in 1944 he came to Abilene and was

8 stationed at Camp Barkeley; shortly thereafter, he met his future

9 wife, Margaret, and the couple went on to share 59 rewarding years

10 of matrimony, until her death in 2007; and

11 WHEREAS, As a reservist, Mr. Brown was called on once more to

12 serve his country during the Korean War, and on returning to

13 and resuming his studies, he earned a law degree from Southern

14 Methodist University; he was later elected as the state

15 representative for Taylor County and served in the Texas House from

16 1963 to 1966; the following year, he was appointed judge of the 42nd

17 Judicial District, and in 1972 he was elected to the 11th Court of

18 Appeals in Eastland, a post he held through 1986, when he retired

19 and became the presiding judge of the 7th Administrative District;

20 Judge Brown was also a commissioner for the Texas Court of Criminal

21 Appeals and a member of the executive committee of the Judicial

22 Section of the Texas Bar Association; and

23 WHEREAS, With a genuine concern for his fellow citizens,

24 Judge Brown dedicated himself to numerous organizations, including

81R37610 MG-D 1 H.R.ANo.A2856

1 Goodfellows, the YMCA, and the City-County Child Welfare Board; in

2 addition, he was president of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, the

3 Texas State Exchange Clubs, the Abilene Exchange Club, and the West

4 Texas Rehabilitation Center, and he was the chair of the Region 14

5 Education Service Center; he was also on the boards of the Bank of

6 Commerce and the Abilene Health Foundation and Development

7 Corporation; and

8 WHEREAS, Known to many simply as "Judge," he was highly

9 regarded in his community; he was a congregant and board chair at

10 St. Paul United Methodist Church and took great pleasure in

11 spending time in the company of his treasured family; and

12 WHEREAS, Raleigh Brown inspired others with his commitment,

13 generosity, and kindness, and he will forever be treasured by all

14 those who were privileged to share in his love and friendship; now,

15 therefore, be it

16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas

17 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Raleigh Holden Brown

18 and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his

19 daughters and their families, Nancy and Boo Jennings, Clark and

20 Will Jennings, Betsy and Dick Skorburg, Wendy and Chase Skorburg,

21 Meg and Julie Skorburg, Julie and Mike Denny, Kate and Matt Haney,

22 and Austin and Liz Denny; to his sister, Bettye Smartt; to his

23 nieces, Suzanne Smartt and Maureen Hall and her husband, Barry; to

24 his sisters-in-law, Margie Wells and Frances Mae Sears; and to his

25 other relatives and many friends; and, be it further

26 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

27 prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of

2 H.R.ANo.A2856

1 Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Judge

2 Raleigh Brown.

3