TITLE: Congratulating Bill O'Neal on his receipt of the 2014 Panola County Citizen of the Year Award.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Bill O'Neal on his receipt of the 2014 Panola County Citizen of the Year Award.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Bill O'Neal was named 2014 Citizen of the Year at the 69th Annual Panola County Chamber of Commerce membership banquet held on February 19, 2015; and WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan taught history at Panola College for close to four decades; his lessons are fondly remembered by countless former students, some of whom were the second generation in their families to take his classes; in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the college, a new dormitory has been named in his honor; and WHEREAS, Mr. O'Neal has immersed himself in the history of Texas and has penned over 40 books in that field; his knowledge of and passion for the subject led to his appointment as State Historian of Texas in 2012, and in 2014, he became the first person to be named to a second term in that position; as the ambassador for Texas history, he has traveled extensively to extol the rich heritage of the Lone Star State, addressing classrooms of children as well as teachers, civic groups, and historical clubs; and WHEREAS, Along the way, Bill O'Neal has remained deeply rooted in the county he calls home; he is an active member of Central Baptist Church in Carthage, where he volunteers as church historian and as a Sunday school leader, and he has served as chair of the building committee; he has also served on the board of Panola General Hospital, and he is a current board member for the local branch of Hochheim Prairie Insurance; and WHEREAS, A former broadcaster for KGAS Radio, Mr. O'Neal continues to appear as a guest on the station's Panola Pride show; for more than 30 years, he was the "Voice of the Panola Ponies," and he has broadcast events for numerous other teams in the area, in addition to serving as a founding member of several local children's sports leagues; and WHEREAS, Bill O'Neal's public-spirited contributions are an inspiration to all who know him, and with his receipt of this well-deserved honor, he may indeed reflect with pride on the many ways that he has enriched the lives of fellow Texans near and far; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Bill O'Neal on his selection as the 2014 Citizen of the Year by the Panola County Chamber of Commerce and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. O'Neal as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Paddie Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2284 was adopted by the House on May 21, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House