HM 9 — JOHNNY COPE, IN MEMORY

HOUSE MEMORIAL 9 55TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEWMEXICO - FIRST SESSION 2021 INTRODUCED BY Randall Pettigrew and Brian Egolf 6 8 10 A MEMORIAL REMEMBERING JOHNNY COPE AND RECOGNIZING HIS COMMUNITY SERVICE.

135 WHEREAS, Johnny Cope, a long-time New Mexico businessman, was born in Midland, Texas, and his family moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, when he was an infant;

and WHEREAS, Johnny died on December 13, 2020 in Palm Desert, e t 17 California;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, in 1966, Johnny graduated from Hobbs high school, = = 19 a l where he played varsity baseball, and later earned a bachelor's i a e r 20 degree in finance and accounting from eastern New Mexico a t m m 21 university;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, after college, Johnny initially wanted to pursue c e s k 23 banking, but a prominent Hobbs family offered him a finance job e a n b 24 in their oilfield pipe and supply company;

and u [ WHEREAS, Johnny took the position and within a few years .218755.3 was co-owner of Lasco construction, buying out his partners in 1978 and a few years later establishing Hobbs rental, an oilfield service company;

and WHEREAS, in addition to the construction business, during his business career Johnny became involved as a partner and investor in numerous oil and gas investments, oil HM 9 Page 1 and gas service companies, security companies and manufacturing companies, employing hundreds of people throughout the country;

and WHEREAS, Johnny's philanthropy and generous spirit spanned donations from small to large projects, such as local youth sports and the university of New Mexico and Texas tech e t 17 university athletics;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, Sam Cobb, mayor of Hobbs, New Mexico, noted that = = 19 a l Johnny's companies and investments contributed to the economic i a e r 20 health of the community by providing hundreds of jobs, and his a t m m 21 philanthropy benefited many institutions and organizations;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, among the many projects in which he was involved c e s k 23 was the development and launch of the Johnny and Marty Cope e a n b 24 learning center in Ruidoso, which connects youth to the u [ Smithsonian institution;

and .218755.3 - 2 - WHEREAS, Johnny was involved in the creation of the CORE center of recreational excellence, a new golf course and the Zia crossing housing project;

and HM 9 Page 2 WHEREAS, Johnny's public service included sitting on the boards of the New Mexico community assistance council under Governor Toney Anaya and the state transportation commission under Governor Bill Richardson;

and WHEREAS, Johnny valued loyalty and friendship above all e t 17 and gave anyone the opportunity to befriend him;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, Johnny once stated that he "started with zero and = = 19 a l I want this country perceived that if you can dream it, you can i a e r 20 make it happen.

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, Governor Richardson lauded Johnny as a true New d r e 22 Mexican champion who will be sorely missed;

and c e s k 23 WHEREAS, Johnny was a lifetime member of the first e a n b 24 Presbyterian church in Hobbs;

and u [ WHEREAS, Johnny is survived by his brother, Tommy;

his .218755.3 - 3 - daughter, Kyleigh;

-HM 49 -Page 103 12 14 16 e t 17 w l n d 18 = = 19 a l i a e r 20 a t m m 21 d r e 22 c e s k 23 e a n b 24 u [ .218755.3