By: Ellis S.R. No. 214
1-1 1
1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-3 In Memory
1-4 of
1-5 Sherman E. Stimley
1-6 WHEREAS, The Texas Senate was saddened to learn of the
1-7 untimely death of Sherman E. Stimley, prominent Houston attorney,
1-8 who died February 16, 1997, at the age of 52; and
1-9 WHEREAS, Founder of the successful law firm of
1-10 Sherman E. Stimley and Associates, Mr. Stimley, who specialized
1-11 in tax-exempt bond law, was well known among Houston attorneys;
1-12 and
1-13 WHEREAS, A native of Chicago, Illinois, Sherman Stimley was
1-14 born on August 2, 1944, to Charles Edmund and Bernice Allen Stimley;
1-15 in 1950, he moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where his parents ran a
1-16 grocery store; they taught their four children the importance of
1-17 getting an education and all four of them earned a law degree; and
1-18 WHEREAS, After graduating from the University of Kansas with
1-19 a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1967, Sherman was
1-20 one of the first black engineers hired by Exxon in Houston in 1970;
1-21 after graduating from Harvard Law School, he became the first
1-22 African-American attorney to join the prestigious law firm of
1-23 Vinson and Elkins, where he worked in the corporate and banking
2-1 sections, thereby gaining valuable experience and expertise in
2-2 municipal finance, securities, corporate, and banking transactions;
2-3 and
2-4 WHEREAS, A partner for six months with O'Connor, Wisner,
2-5 Craig and Stimley in Houston before founding his own law office,
2-6 Mr. Stimley competed with large downtown firms for 10 years against
2-7 overwhelming odds to build his firm that specialized in the highly
2-8 competitive tax-exempt bond field, the first minority firm in the
2-9 city's history to do so; and
2-10 WHEREAS, His law firm became the first African-American
2-11 firm to participate in tax-exempt bond transactions with issuers
2-12 throughout the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Recognized for his contributions to the law
2-14 community, Mr. Stimley was a member of the National Bar
2-15 Association and the American Bar Association; he was also
2-16 active in the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the
2-17 Government Finance Officers Association as well as the Texas
2-18 Bar Association; and
2-19 WHEREAS, Dedicated to giving his time and abilities to his
2-20 community, Mr. Stimley had been an active board member of the
2-21 Houston Symphony Advisory Board since 1982 and was on the board
2-22 of trustees of Houston's municipal employee pension system; since
2-23 1983, he had served on the President's Task Force of the
2-24 Thurgood Marshall School of Law; and
2-25 WHEREAS, Admired and respected among his colleagues,
3-1 Sherman Stimley will be remembered for his generosity of spirit,
3-2 his kindness, and his unselfishness; his pioneering spirit in the
3-3 area of tax-exempt law paved the way for other minorities to follow;
3-4 now, therefore, be it
3-5 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
3-6 75th Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the
3-7 family of Sherman E. Stimley: his wife, Ruth Ann; his
3-8 sons, Daryl Stimley and Courtland Stimley; his mother,
3-9 Bernice Allen Stimley; his sisters, Pernila Stimley Brown and
3-10 Charlene Stimley Priester; and his brother, Frank Stimley; and,
3-11 be it further
3-12 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for his
3-13 family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas Senate,
3-14 and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
3-15 Sherman E. Stimley.
3-16 ______________________________________
3-17 President of the Senate
3-18 I hereby certify that the above
3-19 Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-20 on February 20, 1997, by a rising vote.
3-21 ______________________________________
3-22 Secretary of the Senate
3-23 ______________________________________
3-24 Member, Texas Senate