TITLE: In memory of Joe Benham of Kerrville.

SUMMARY: In memory of Joe Benham of Kerrville.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The city of Kerrville lost an admired citizen with the passing of Joe Benham on June 30, 2016, at the age of 82; and WHEREAS, Born on March 13, 1934, to Buell and Lucille Benham in Amarillo, Joe Benham began working for the Amarillo Times as a sportswriter and general news reporter while still in high school, launching a career in journalism that would span 65 years; after a stint with the Dallas Times Herald and the Associated Press, he joined the U.S. Army and proudly served his country as an infantry platoon sergeant and air defense command public information supervisor from 1954 to 1958; and WHEREAS, Following his return to civilian life, Mr. Benham was rehired by the AP in 1959, working in Austin and New York before becoming bureau chief for Chile and Bolivia in 1965; while living in Santiago, he met and married his wife, Verna, with whom he shared more than 48 rewarding years, and they were blessed with a treasured family that included two children, Stephanie and David, and four grandchildren, Dallas, Madeleine, J. B., and Dax; and WHEREAS, Mr. Benham accepted a position with U.S. News & World Report in 1967 and spent the next 13 years covering South America from offices in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires; after returning to Texas, he worked as regional bureau chief for U.S. News in Houston for the following two decades; in 1998, he settled in the Hill Country, where he wrote for the Kerrville Daily Times and volunteered as a publicist for numerous nonprofit groups; and WHEREAS, This civic-minded Texan served as president of myriad organizations over the years, including the Symphony of the Hills Association, Friends of the Kerrville Library, and the Hill Country Chapter of the Texas Society, Sons of the American Revolution; he held a variety of other leadership positions with such groups as the Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department, the Hill Country Youth Orchestra, and the Kerrville Rotary Club; in recognition of his many contributions to the community, he was presented with a 2016 Life's Treasures award by the Kerrville Daily Times;and WHEREAS, Deeply dedicated to his family, his profession, and his community, Joe Benham lived a life filled with meaningful achievements, and he leaves behind a legacy that will long be treasured by all those who held him dear; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Joe Benham and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Verna Benham; to his daughter, Stephanie Benham-Dickey, and her husband, David; to his son, David Benham, and his wife, Bennet; to his grandchildren, Dallas and Madeleine Dickey and J. B. and Dax Benham; 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 Joe Benham. Murr Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 28 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on February 23, 2017. Chief Clerk of the House