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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, After 66 years of serving the residents of Longview, |
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Johnny Cace's Seafood and Steak House closed its doors on March 28, |
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2015, but this local institution has left generations of customers |
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with many happy memories; and |
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WHEREAS, The restaurant was founded in 1949 by John S. Cace |
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Jr., a Louisiana native; while growing up, Mr. Cace worked with his |
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father, who fished and cultivated oysters, and helped his parents |
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in their seafood market and restaurant; he also learned to cook a |
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wide variety of seafood himself; and |
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WHEREAS, After serving for four years in the U.S. Army Air |
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Forces during World War II, Mr. Cace moved with his wife, the former |
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Valerie Savony, to Longview and opened a fine-dining seafood |
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restaurant that showcased his New Orleans-influenced cuisine; the |
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eatery quickly found success and was soon renovated to increase |
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capacity; in 1964, it was relocated to Marshall Avenue, where it was |
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eventually expanded to accommodate 450 diners; Mr. Cace was elected |
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president of both the Texas Restaurant Association and the Longview |
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Chamber of Commerce in 1966, and in 1992 he was named Man of the Year |
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by the Longview Federated Clubs; and |
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WHEREAS, In the early 1980s, Mr. Cace handed over the |
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operation of the family business to his son Gerard Cace and his |
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wife, Cathy, and she continued running the restaurant with their |
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daughters, Chelsea and Jenni, after her husband's passing in 2012; |
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the founder's other two sons, John Cace III and Danny Cace, also |
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played active roles in the restaurant by serving on its board of |
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directors; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, Longview residents shared some of |
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the most joyful moments of their lives at the award-winning |
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restaurant, which routinely hosted anniversary, engagement, and |
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graduation celebrations and other special occasions; in tribute to |
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Johnny Cace and his contributions to the community, an official |
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Texas Historical Marker was dedicated at the site of the restaurant |
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in March 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the closing of Johnny Cace's Seafood and |
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Steak House marks the end of an era in Longview, the Cace family may |
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indeed take great pride in the landmark status their restaurant |
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achieved during its long and illustrious history; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Johnny Cace's Seafood and Steak House |
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for its many decades of service to its customers and extend to all |
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those associated with the restaurant sincere best wishes for the |
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future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Cace family as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |