By Wilson H.C.R. No. 39 76R3919 JHS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The recent passing of W. Page Keeton on January 10, 1-2 1999, at the age of 89, represents a great loss to the family and 1-3 friends of this esteemed gentleman, as well as to the many 1-4 individuals who benefited from his extraordinary tenure as dean of 1-5 The University of Texas School of Law; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Born in 1909 near Clarksville, this East Texas 1-7 native was an embodiment of the American Dream, transcending his 1-8 impoverished childhood and adolescence to gain admission to The 1-9 University of Texas at Austin and earn undergraduate and law 1-10 degrees in 1931; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The following year, this idealistic young man joined 1-12 the faculty of his alma mater and began his love affair with 1-13 teaching--a love affair that coincided with his burgeoning 1-14 relationship with his future wife, Madge; after a year-long 1-15 sabbatical at Harvard Law School from 1935 to 1936, during which 1-16 time he earned an advanced law degree, he returned to UT-Austin to 1-17 continue his teaching career; and 1-18 WHEREAS, From 1942 to 1945, Dean Keeton served as chief 1-19 counsel of the fuel division in the Office of Price Administration 1-20 and as assistant chief counsel of Petroleum Administration for War; 1-21 at the conclusion of World War II, he was named dean of the 1-22 University of Oklahoma School of Law, a post he held until 1949, 1-23 when he returned to UT-Austin; and 1-24 WHEREAS, During Dean Keeton's quarter-century tenure as head 2-1 of the UT-Austin School of Law, the program gained national 2-2 prominence, thanks to his tireless efforts as a fund-raiser, his 2-3 role in the creation of the Law Alumni Association, and his 2-4 commitment to pursuing and hiring renowned educators who would 2-5 further enhance the reputation of the law school; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Dean Keeton's administrative and leadership skills 2-7 were but a part of his role in the transformation of UT-Austin's 2-8 School of Law into one of the nation's top programs; a leading 2-9 authority on tort law and regarded by many as a great American 2-10 educator, he was one of the program's most popular professors, and 2-11 he continued his teaching duties beyond his retirement as dean in 2-12 1974, until 1995, when he retired permanently; and 2-13 WHEREAS, This remarkable man's positive influence extended 2-14 beyond the campus as well, most notably through his membership on 2-15 President Lyndon B. Johnson's Labor-Management Policy Committee and 2-16 in his position as president of the Association of American Law 2-17 Schools; he also served as chairman of the State of Texas Medical 2-18 Professional Liability Study Commission and the Texas Ethics 2-19 Advisory Commission, and as a consultant to the Consumer 2-20 Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, 2-21 and Transportation; in 1988, he received the Anti-Defamation 2-22 League's Torch of Liberty Award, an honor that was cherished by 2-23 this longtime civil rights advocate; and 2-24 WHEREAS, Throughout his six-decade association with The 2-25 University of Texas at Austin, Dean Keeton established himself as 2-26 one of the most important figures in the university's history; he 2-27 was a man who was not only revered, but beloved, and his legacy of 3-1 educational excellence, legal scholarship, and tremendous 3-2 compassion has ensured that he will be fondly and reverently 3-3 remembered for many years to come; now, therefore, be it 3-4 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 3-5 hereby pay tribute to the life of Dean W. Page Keeton and extend 3-6 sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Madge 3-7 Stewart Keeton; to his daughter, the Honorable Carole Keeton 3-8 Rylander; to his sister, Willie R. Keeton Spencer; to his brothers, 3-9 Judge Robert E. Keeton and Morris T. Keeton; to his seven 3-10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and to the many other 3-11 relatives and friends of this beloved and revered gentleman; and, 3-12 be it further 3-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-14 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas 3-15 House of Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in 3-16 memory of Dean W. Page Keeton.