87R16643 CW-D     By: Bowers H.R. No. 517       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, The life of a legendary athletic director drew to a   close with the passing of Homer B. Johnson of Garland on March 17,   2021, at the age of 93; and          WHEREAS, Homer Johnson was born on November 28, 1927, to   J. M. and Ruby Johnson, and grew up in Garland with a sister, Nancy;   he graduated in 1945 from Garland High School, where he was a member   of the football, basketball, and baseball teams, and he went on to   play football at Texas A&M University and the University of North   Texas; he received a bachelor's degree from UNT and a master's   degree from East Texas State University; and          WHEREAS, In 1948, Mr. Johnson embarked on his career in   school athletics when he became an assistant football coach at his   high school alma mater; he took a leave of absence in 1950 to serve   for three years with the U.S. Army during the Korean War and then   returned to the sidelines at Garland High, ultimately serving as   the team's head coach in the late 1950s and early 1960s; and          WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson was appointed in 1963 as the inaugural   athletic director for the Garland Independent School District;   among his many accomplishments, he launched the first girls'   athletic program in Garland and oversaw the district's other   efforts to expand access to sports activities following passage of   Title IX in 1972; moreover, he managed school athletics during an   era of rapid growth that included the opening of numerous high   schools and other campuses; he retired in 2016, drawing to a close   an exceptional career with Garland ISD that encompassed nearly   seven decades; and          WHEREAS, In recognition of his exemplary achievements,   Mr. Johnson was inducted into the Garland Sports Hall of Fame, the   Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and the Halls of Honor of the Texas High   School Coaches Association and the Texas High School Athletic   Directors Association; in 1978, Garland Memorial Stadium was   renamed Homer B. Johnson Stadium in his honor; and          WHEREAS, Through the decades, Mr. Johnson enjoyed the love   and support of his wife, Billie, and the couple shared a rewarding   union that spanned 57 years before her passing in 2008; he took   great pride in his son, Joc, in his granddaughter, Andrea, and in   his great-grandsons, Josh, Keyshawn, and Kobe; and          WHEREAS, A highly respected role model and mentor, Homer   Johnson made a positive difference in the lives of countless   students, coaches, and educators, and he leaves behind a legacy   that will resonate in the Garland community for years to come; now,   therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas   Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Homer B. Johnson 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 Homer   Johnson.