[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 23760] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]REMEMBERING BILLY EARL HIBBS ______ HON. RALPH M. HALL of texas in the house of representatives Wednesday, December 6, 2006 Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, today it is my privilege to honor the life of a dear friend, Billy Earl Hibbs, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 67. Billy was a native Texan, born on September 25, 1938 in Quitman. He graduated from Quitman High School and married his high school sweetheart, Eugenia Stroud, in 1957. Eugenia and Billy had one child, Billy Earl Hibbs, Jr. Starting with a small, three-person insurance agency, Billy grew his business into Heartland Security Insurance Group, one of the largest insurance holding companies in the Southwest. Heartland is one of the largest providers of claims services to the Federal Government, including all branches of the military as well as non-military personnel injured in Afghanistan and Iraq. Despite its size, Heartland maintains its Texas roots with its headquarters in Tyler and continues to serve almost half the school districts in Texas. The Texas Legislature recognized Billy's accomplishments in 1981 for his success in handling the John Tyler High School fire loss. In 1990, he led the passage of a bond measure to provide upgrades to the city of Tyler's infrastructure. A patron of the arts, Billy served as president of the East Texas Symphony Association and worked to relocate performances to the Cowan Center at U.T. Tyler. Billy also served as president of the Tyler Civic Theatre where he oversaw construction of the Braithwaite Theater and the opening of the Rogers Children's Theatre. As president of the Tyler Rotary Club he became a Paul Harris Fellow. Billy was a member of the Henry Bell Masonic Lodge, and a founding board member of the Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas. He served as a board member for Leadership Tyler, the Tyler Independent School District Foundation, and the Tyler Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Order of the Rose. He was a member of the Pairs and Parents Sunday School class, an usher, and a past trustee of Marvin United Methodist Church. Billy also remained active in the Independent Insurance Agents at local, State, and national levels throughout his life. In 2004, Billy was inducted into the Junior Achievement ``Business Hall of Fame,'' and made a member of the honor business fraternity, Beta Gamma Sigma, at the University of Texas at Tyler. In 2005, Hibbs- Hallmark & Company was honored with the Better Business Bureau's ``Torch Award'' for demonstrating a commendable ethical record over the years, and recently, the Tyler Rotary Club honored Hibbs by distinguishing all present and future donors of $1,000 as ``Billy Hibbs Fellows.'' Billy is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Eugenia ``Jeannie'' Hibbs, his son Billy E. Hibbs, Jr., and daughter-in-law Tisa Weiss Hibbs, two grandchildren, Stratton Weiss Hibbs and London Elizabeth Hibbs, and two sisters, Dorma Shields and Betty Cassels of Quitman, as well as other relatives. Billy was always generous with his time and leadership and he shared his many blessings with his community and his country. Mr. Speaker, Billy Hibbs was a valuable member of the community whose years of service will provide a legacy for many years to come. ____________________