TITLE: Congratulating the Honorable William M. Hatten of Houston on his birthday.

SUMMARY: Congratulating the Honorable William M. Hatten of Houston on his birthday.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The many friends and admirers of the Honorable William M. Hatten, retired judge of the 176th District Criminal Court in Harris County, are gathering to celebrate his 97th birthday and to honor him for his many years of public service; and WHEREAS, A native of Houston, Bill Hatten was born on August 26, 1913, and graduated from St. Thomas High School in 1931; he attended law school at night while working as a salesman and deliveryman, graduating in 1934 and passing the state bar the following year; and WHEREAS, That same year, he entered into the practice of civil and criminal law, and in 1943, he helped to defend German-born Heinrich Meyer in the first denaturalization case in the Southern District of Texas; a highly respected member of the legal profession, he was appointed judge of a family law district court in 1964 by Governor John Connally; he was elected to the judgeship later that year and reelected in 1968; and WHEREAS, Three years later, Judge Hatten was appointed by Governor Preston Smith to the 176th District Criminal Court; he was elected the following year and returned to the bench by the voters three more times; during his remarkable tenure, he was assigned the high-profile multiple murder trial of Elmer Wayne Henley and David Owen Brooks; Judge Hatten retired in 1988 at the age of 75 and has since gone on to serve his fellow citizens as a senior and substitute judge; and WHEREAS, Equally accomplished as a community leader, this esteemed Texan has shared his time and talents over the years with a number of civic and charitable organizations; he has served as president of the Texas Society for the Prevention of Blindness and has distinguished himself as a member of the Harris County Juvenile Board for more than two decades, chairing the buildings and grounds committee; in addition, he led Boy Scouts Troop No. 138 and served the scouts as a district vice chair; moreover, he is a former member of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program board; and WHEREAS, Judge Hatten has been a major force in the Fraternal Order of Eagles for more than three quarters of a century, serving as president of his local and state aeries as well as coordinating the Fraternal Order of Eagles 1979 national telethon to raise money for the Bob Hope School for children with disabilities in Port Arthur; he also holds life membership in the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars; and WHEREAS, A man of strong faith, Judge Hatten is a longtime member of All Saints Catholic Church in Houston and has been active in the Knights of Columbus for more than 75 years; he helped to organize the Catholic War Veterans of Houston and served as that group's president and was the first president of the Northwest Serra Club, an evangelical Catholic organization; and WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Bill Hatten enjoys the love and support of his wife of more than 70 years, Dorothy, and they take great pride in their family, which includes 5 children, 9 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren; together the couple have collected more than 10,000 books and magazines for distribution to jails and hospitals, and they have delighted in creating a haunted house for area children each Halloween; and WHEREAS, Though it is impossible to gauge the full effect of a man's life, some individuals leave their unmistakable mark on the world as they move through it, and Bill Hatten's contributions to his fellow Texans continue to resonate in the lives of all who know him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable William M. Hatten on 97 years of life well lived and extend to him profound appreciation for his many good works; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Judge Hatten as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Farrar Walle Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1133 was adopted by the House on April 6, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House