By: Armbrister S.R. No. 486
1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-2 In Memory
1-3 of
1-4 Albert B. Alkek
1-5 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas was deeply
1-6 saddened to learn of the death of noted philanthropist and
1-7 humanitarian Albert B. Alkek on March 1, 1995; and
1-8 WHEREAS, A longtime resident of Bandera, Mr. Alkek was
1-9 the Chairman of the Board of Alkek Oil Corporation which was
1-10 headquartered in Houston; both Mr. Alkek and his wife, Margaret,
1-11 were in business for many years in Houston and Victoria; and
1-12 WHEREAS, Born in Houston on July 23, 1909, he and his
1-13 family moved to Victoria where he grew up; Mr. Alkek was enrolled
1-14 at Saint Mary's University in San Antonio when he decided to become
1-15 a wildcat oil well driller; and
1-16 WHEREAS, The company that he was working for was purchased
1-17 by Sinclair Oil in 1931; his new boss helped Mr. Alkek form his
1-18 own company in 1948; together the two men built the Casa pipeline,
1-19 Texas' first petroleum products pipeline; and
1-20 WHEREAS, His career as a successful oilman was launched,
1-21 and he began to build his financial empire; and
1-22 WHEREAS, During the course of his career as a financier,
1-23 oilman, and rancher, this highly regarded gentleman played a vital
2-1 role in the funding of many medical and educational institutions; and
2-2 WHEREAS, A respected public figure, he was appointed
2-3 by Governor Bill Clements to the Public Safety Commission in
2-4 1988; he served as a trustee of the Baylor College of Medicine,
2-5 M. D. Anderson Hospital, the DeBakey Medical Foundation,
2-6 Saint Mary's University, and the Texas Military Institute; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Remembered as a friend to education, Mr. Alkek made
2-8 many contributions to help students acquire an education; he was
2-9 a generous contributor to various educational institutions including
2-10 the Texas Military Institute, which named its new San Antonio
2-11 campus after him, and an elementary school in Bandera; and
2-12 WHEREAS, A man of rare spirit and accomplishment, he
2-13 believed that the future of the country lay in educating today's
2-14 young people; he made substantial donations to Southwest Texas
2-15 State University, the University of Houston at Victoria, Saint
2-16 Mary's University, and Rice University; and
2-17 WHEREAS, This illustrious civic leader was especially active
2-18 in funding Texas A&M University's research facility, which opened
2-19 in 1992 on the site of the old Shamrock Hotel, named the
2-20 Albert B. Alkek Institute of Biosciences, and the Alkek Tower,
2-21 a joint project of Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist
2-22 Hospital, that opened in 1978; and
2-23 WHEREAS, A man of extraordinary ability and unquestioned
2-24 generosity, he received the Good Scout Award presented by the
2-25 San Antonio community in recognition of a lifetime of service and
3-1 commitment in 1988, and he was inducted into the Texas Business
3-2 Hall of Fame in 1989; and
3-3 WHEREAS, A noted patron of the arts, he made donations to
3-4 the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Museum of Fine Arts; in 1990,
3-5 he received the Maurice Hirsch Award for Lifetime Philanthropy; and
3-6 WHEREAS, Recognized by his colleagues for his outstanding
3-7 achievements, Albert Alkek believed in investing in the future,
3-8 and the many thousands of lives he has touched will be a fitting
3-9 tribute to his unselfish commitment to future generations; now,
3-10 therefore, be it
3-11 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
3-12 74th Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of service of
3-13 Albert B. Alkek and extend sincere condolences to the members of
3-14 his family: his wife, Margaret; his daughter, Margaret Williams;
3-15 his son, Albert "Bill" Alkek, Jr.; his sisters, Maggie Cattan and
3-16 Kathryn Taweeh; and his seven grandchildren and great-grandchild;
3-17 and, be it further
3-18 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for his
3-19 family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas Senate,
3-20 and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
3-21 Albert B. Alkek.
3-22 ______________________________________
3-23 President of the Senate
3-24 I hereby certify that the above
3-25 Resolution was adopted by the Senate
4-1 on March 21, 1995, by a rising vote.
4-2 ______________________________________
4-3 Secretary of the Senate
4-4 ______________________________________
4-5 Member, Texas Senate