84R21706 JGH-D
	By: Leach	H.R. No. 2228

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, A remarkable life dedicated to inspiring students
	with a love of all creatures great and small has drawn to a close
	with the passing of Jim Dunlap of Dallas on April 5, 2015, at the age
	of 70; and
	WHEREAS, Jim Dunlap was born in Waco on October 10, 1944, and
	he moved with his family to the Dallas area when he was two years
	old; his fascination with animals was evident from an early age when
	he used to bring them to share with his schoolmates on the
	playground, holding up a lizard to draw a crowd; by the time he was
	10, he had collected 52 box turtles; when his mother balked at
	letting all his critters in the house, his father built a shed for
	his collection in the backyard; and
	WHEREAS, After graduating from Mesquite High School,
	Mr. Dunlap served in the U.S. Army for three years, and he worked as
	a police officer in University Park in order to put himself through
	North Texas State University, earning a bachelor's degree in
	education as well as a master's degree; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap began his career with the Lewisville
	Independent School District before joining the Plano ISD, where
	over the course of 34 years, he became a beloved biology teacher and
	mentor to generations of students, with whom he especially enjoyed
	sharing his enthusiasm for wild animals; and
	WHEREAS, Known affectionately as "the snake man" or "the
	animal guy," Mr. Dunlap amassed such a large collection that the
	school district gave him his own building at the Holifield Science
	Learning Center in 1989; known as the Living Materials Center, it
	became a haven for unwanted or abused animals, and through the years
	it offered thousands of delighted schoolchildren the chance to meet
	such diverse creatures as bobcats, monkeys, buzzards, and the star
	of Mr. Dunlap's menagerie, a giant Burmese python named Katy; and
	WHEREAS, In addition to his work as a teacher, Mr. Dunlap
	authored seven books, often appeared on television to talk about
	animals, and wrote a column for the local paper called "Backyard
	Zoo"; he was recognized as the Humane Educator of the Year in 1993
	and 2008 by the Texas Animal Control Association, and when he
	retired from teaching in 2010, the center was rededicated as the Jim
	Dunlap Living Materials Center in his honor; even in retirement, he
	continued to volunteer at the center three days a week, as well as
	at the Dallas Zoo; and
	WHEREAS, During summer vacations, when the schools were
	closed, Mr. Dunlap often brought animals home with him, and his
	wife, Peggy, who died in 2013, lovingly supported him in all his
	endeavors, allowing their home to be inhabited by monkeys, snakes,
	and all manner of creatures; Mr. Dunlap was further blessed with
	the love of his two children, Sid and Erin, and his two
	grandchildren, Stella and Sofia; and
	WHEREAS, A gifted teacher, Jim Dunlap shared his joy in the
	magnificent diversity of the animal kingdom with generations of
	Texans, and the memory of his intellectual curiosity and spirit of
	adventure will continue to enrich the lives of all those who were
	privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
	Legislature pay tribute to the life of Jim Dunlap and extend sincere
	condolences to the members of his family: to his son, Scott Dunlap,
	and his wife, Lisa; to his daughter, Erin Dunlap Martinez, and her
	husband, Mike; to his sister, Paula Mischel; to his grandchildren,
	Stella and Sofia Martinez; to his niece, Tracy Barr; to his
	mother-in-law, Polly Wilds; 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 Jim Dunlap.