TITLE: In memory of Tracy Wayne Edwards of Dumas.

SUMMARY: In memory of Tracy Wayne Edwards of Dumas.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life has drawn to a close with the death of business and civic leader Tracy Wayne Edwards of Dumas on February 7, 2015, at the age of 85; and WHEREAS, Wayne Edwards was born near Littlefield on September 15, 1929, to Dick and Ruth Edwards, and he acquired a strong work ethic at an early age by working on his parents' cotton farm; after high school, he attended Amarillo College and went to work for Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home; and WHEREAS, In 1949, Mr. Edwards moved to Dumas, where he met his future wife, Fern Covington; they married in 1951, beginning a journey together that spanned more than six decades; the couple were blessed with four children, Belinda, Teresa, Tracy, and Gary, and later welcomed into their family four grandsons and four great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards embarked on a new career in 1953, when he joined the sales staff of Scott Spencer Motors; he went on to work for Steve Johnston Chevrolet, and he cofounded Witt-Edwards Pontiac and Buick in 1964; eight years later, Mr. Edwards opened his own dealership, Edwards Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge, which remains in the family today; and WHEREAS, A leader in his profession, Mr. Edwards served on the board of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association and represented the Panhandle in the Chrysler Corporation Dealers Association; he also served on the Chrysler Corporation Dealers Council; and WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards contributed to his community as well, serving as president of the Jaycees, the Noon Lions Club, the Dumas long-range planning commission, and the Moore County Hospital Board; he also served on the Dumas Industrial Development Board, the City Zoning Board, and the Moore County Fair Association board; he was a charter member, and the longest serving member, of the Window on the Plains Museum board, and he headed the special division of the United Way, where for two years in a row he helped the group meet 100 percent of its fund-raising target; and WHEREAS, A man of strong religious faith, Mr. Edwards was a Sunday school superintendent, a youth fellowship sponsor, and a member of the board of stewards of First Methodist Church; he later joined First Baptist Church, where he was chair of the deacon board; and WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan's many honors include the Joyce Dillow Heritage Award, the Good Neighbor Award, and the Citizen of the Year Award from the Dumas Chamber of Commerce; he also received the Melvin Jones Service Award from the Lions Club and a lifetime membership from the U.S. Jaycees and the Dumas Noon Lions Club, and in 1986 he was nominated as Distinguished Texan of the Year by the Dumas Board of Realtors; and WHEREAS, A devoted family man, a respected businessman, and a model of civic engagement, Wayne Edwards leaves behind a legacy of service to others that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to Tracy Wayne Edwards and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Fern Covington Edwards; to his daughters, Belinda Brice and Teresa Edwards; to his sons, Tracy Edwards and his wife, Frieda, and Gary Edwards; to his sisters, Charlsie Underwood and Betty Secker; to his grandsons, Brad Brice and his wife, Heidi, Lee Brice and his wife, Kellie, and Taylor and Alex Edwards; to his great-grandchildren, Jackson, Garret, Leyton, and Emma Brice; and to his other relatives and friends; 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 Wayne Edwards. Price Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2905 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 30, 2015. Chief Clerk of the House