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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost a respected attorney and |
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civic leader with the death of Dee J. Kelly of Fort Worth on October |
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2, 2015, at the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, Dee Kelly was born in Bonham on March 7, 1929; he |
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earned a degree at Texas Christian University, and while he was |
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studying law at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., |
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he worked in the office of Sam Rayburn, the legendary speaker of the |
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U.S. House of Representatives; Mr. Kelly interrupted his studies to |
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serve in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1953, rising to the rank of |
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first lieutenant; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his military service, Mr. Kelly resumed |
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his law studies and his work in Speaker Rayburn's office; he met |
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Janice LeBlanc, a student at Southern Seminary in Virginia, and the |
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couple were married in 1954; soon thereafter, he returned with his |
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bride to Texas, where he began his legal career at the Texas |
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Railroad Commission; over the next half century, he worked in |
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private practice, representing various influential clients in oil |
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and ranching, and as general counsel to companies such as Moncrief |
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Oil, Justin Industries, and Bass Brothers Enterprises; in 1979, he |
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was the founder of Kelly Hart & Hallman, the largest law firm in |
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Fort Worth; and |
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WHEREAS, For many years, Mr. Kelly was best known for his |
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civic and political engagement, both in Fort Worth and, at the state |
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level, as a friend and counselor for many politicians; he knew all |
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three presidents from Texas, Lyndon Johnson, George H. W. Bush, and |
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George W. Bush, as well as House Speaker Jim Wright and Senators |
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Lloyd Bentsen, John Tower, and John Cornyn, and he was especially |
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good friends with Governor John Connally; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Kelly served on the boards of AMR Corporation, |
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Sabre, Justin Industries, and North Texas Bancshares, and he was |
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likewise generous with his time as a board member for the Van |
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Cliburn Foundation, The University of Texas Law School Foundation, |
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the UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Center, Performing Arts Fort |
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Worth, and the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show; he |
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remained loyal to TCU, his Texas alma mater, for his entire life, |
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serving on the university's board for 32 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the numerous accolades Mr. Kelly received were |
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the Outstanding Citizen Award from the City of Fort Worth, the |
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Horatio Alger Award, the Blackstone Award from the Tarrant County |
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Bar Association, and the Citizen of the Year Award from the Longhorn |
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Council of the Boy Scouts of America; in 1999, he appeared on the |
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram list of the 10 most influential leaders in |
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Tarrant County in the second half of the 20th century, and both TCU |
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and George Washington University named buildings in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Kelly enjoyed the love and |
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support of a fine family, including his wife, Janice, with whom he |
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shared 61 years, as well as three children, Cynthia, Dee, and Craig, |
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and seven grandchildren, Ben, Kelly, Cate, Lynn, Camille, Patrick, |
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and Ryan; and |
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WHEREAS, Rising from humble beginnings in Bonham to become a |
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confidant and advisor to some of the most influential Texans in |
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recent history, Dee Kelly lived a rich and purposeful life, and he |
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leaves behind a legacy of achievement that will continue to |
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resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Dee J. Kelly and |
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extend sincere sympathy to all those who mourn his passing; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dee Kelly. |