TITLE: In memory of Wilford George Wilcox of Corpus Christi.

SUMMARY: In memory of Wilford George Wilcox of Corpus Christi.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Residents of Corpus Christi lost a remarkable citizen with the passing of entrepreneur Wilford George Wilcox on January 18, 2015, at the age of 100; and WHEREAS, Bill Wilcox was born on May 25, 1914, in Iowa, and he was introduced to the furniture business at an early age; his mother's family owned Bekins Moving and Storage, and during the Great Depression, he sold furniture for the company in its Sioux City store; and WHEREAS, In 1953, when he was 39, Mr. Wilcox and his wife, Marcia, moved with their three children, George, Kaye, and Norman, to Corpus Christi; a few years later, their fourth child, Ray, was born; and WHEREAS, In Corpus Christi, Mr. Wilcox opened his own furniture store in a 4,000-square-foot Quonset hut with no running water, and in the beginning, he delivered furniture himself with a trailer pulled behind his Chevy; within 10 years' time, the business had grown to employ 40 people and use four delivery trucks, and by 1995, Wilcox Furniture had expanded to several locations; Mr. Wilcox ran the company himself until just before his 95th birthday in 2009, and it continues to be a thriving, family-run enterprise today, with three locations; and WHEREAS, Mr. Wilcox became a widower in March 1990, and he was later fortunate to find love again with Helen Magill, who owned a rival furniture company; the couple lived together in Trinity Towers, where on Monday nights, Mr. Wilcox led sing-alongs of old favorites such as "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" and "Carolina in the Morning"; and WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Mr. Wilcox was an engaged and caring member of his community; in 1970, he helped found and lead Family Debt Counselors to assist local citizens with debt issues, and for many years, he provided furniture to the Women's Shelter of South Texas as well as rocking chairs to local maternity wards; he also established the Marcia K. Wilcox Scholarship Fund after his first wife's death, which was formed to enable cancer patients from Driscoll Children's Hospital to attend college; and WHEREAS, Over the course of his long life, Bill Wilcox raised a fine family and built a business that became an institution in Corpus Christi, and he leaves behind a record of hard work, integrity, and compassion 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 the memory of Wilford George Wilcox and extend sincere condolences to his children, George Wilcox, Kaye Wilcox West, Norman Wilcox, and Ray Wilcox, 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 Wilford George Wilcox. Herrero Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 848 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 12, 2015. Chief Clerk of the House