TITLE: Congratulating Hurley Funeral Home on its receipt of a 2015 Texas Treasure Business Award.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Hurley Funeral Home on its receipt of a 2015 Texas Treasure Business Award.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Hurley Funeral Home has been awarded a 2015 Texas Treasure Business Award by the Texas Historical Commission; and WHEREAS, The Texas Treasure Business Award was created in 2005 and recognizes the contributions of Texas-based enterprises that have been in continuous operation for at least 50 years; and WHEREAS, Seeing the need for a mortuary in rural Atascosa County, Millard Hurley opened Hurley Funeral Home in 1919; it started out as a simple operation, with Mr. Hurley digging the graves himself in addition to handling officiating duties; his wife, Thelma, sold burial garments for the deceased and baked chocolate cakes for the grieving families; and WHEREAS, Appreciative of Mr. and Mrs. Hurley's hard work and dedication, area residents turned to the couple's funeral home in times of loss and the business grew; the Hurleys' son, Charles, joined the staff, as did their grandchildren, Patrick and Ross, and great-grandsons, Patrick and Evan; as the years went by, the family created the Hurley Burial Insurance Association and established new funeral home locations in nearby towns; today, the Hurley Funeral Home has facilities in Pleasanton, Pearsall, Devine, and Lytle; and WHEREAS, While providing funeral services to area residents, the Hurley family has led in meeting other community needs as well; in the 1930s, the Hurley Funeral Home began offering an ambulance service, a resource that saw heavy use, as Atascosa County at that time had few doctors and no hospital of its own; the funeral home continued to operate the ambulance until 1980, when it donated its ambulance equipment to the county to start the first EMS service in that part of the state; acting individually, members of the Hurley family have also played an active role in civic life, giving generously of their time and energies to community organizations; in the mid-1950s, moreover, Charles Hurley was instrumental in the desegregation of schools in Atascosa County; and WHEREAS, Family owned and operated for nearly a century, Hurley Funeral Home has built an outstanding record of service in South Texas, and the company is indeed deserving of its place among the state's historic businesses; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Hurley Funeral Home on its receipt of a 2015 Texas Treasure Business Award and extend to the members of the family and all of the company's employees sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Hurley Funeral Home as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Guillen Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1282 was adopted by the House on March 17, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House