R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The passing of J. Donald Bowen of Abilene and
1-2 Houston on March 3, 2000, has brought a sense of profound loss to
1-3 the family and many friends of this exceptional man; and
1-4 WHEREAS, A nationally known plaintiffs' attorney, Don Bowen
1-5 was born in San Angelo on September 20, 1944; although he
1-6 subsequently did most of his work in Houston, he maintained his
1-7 home in Abilene, where he was raised; for many years he was a
1-8 valued member of Abilene's Highland Church of Christ; and
1-9 WHEREAS, Mr. Bowen received a bachelor's degree from Abilene
1-10 Christian University in 1967 and a J.D., cum laude, from The
1-11 University of Texas School of Law in 1970; while a law student he
1-12 was inducted into Phi Delta Phi, an international legal fraternity,
1-13 and the Order of the Coif, a prestigious honorary society; his
1-14 diligence and academic achievements also earned him the position
1-15 of case note editor on the Texas Law Review; and
1-16 WHEREAS, Following graduation, Mr. Bowen worked in the trial
1-17 section of Baker and Botts in Houston for three years before
1-18 joining the firm that became Helm, Pletcher, Bowen and Saunders; he
1-19 served as managing partner of the latter firm from 1984 onward; and
1-20 WHEREAS, Mr. Bowen steadily gained recognition as one of the
1-21 most successful civil trial attorneys in the country; he
1-22 represented clients in a number of high-stakes cases, including a
1-23 suit by Exxon against its insurers after the Exxon Valdez oil
1-24 spill; in that litigation Mr. Bowen, as lead counsel, won a
2-1 substantial verdict in behalf of the oil company, which was seeking
2-2 compensation for massive clean-up costs; and
2-3 WHEREAS, Mr. Bowen brilliantly and steadfastly represented
2-4 working people throughout the United States, handling some 450
2-5 claims a year as longtime designated counsel for the United
2-6 Transportation Union; more recently, he was instrumental in pulling
2-7 together trial lawyers from all over the country to litigate in
2-8 behalf of many thousands of Americans injured by the diet drug
2-9 Fen-Phen; shortly before his passing Mr. Bowen went to court in a
2-10 Texas suit related to this drug and won a substantial settlement
2-11 for his client; and
2-12 WHEREAS, Mr. Bowen was certified by the Texas Board of Legal
2-13 Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law and by the National
2-14 Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Advocate; he was admitted
2-15 to the Texas Bar in 1970 and was also admitted to practice in the
2-16 United States district courts for the Southern, Western, Northern,
2-17 and Eastern districts of Texas; and
2-18 WHEREAS, Among the numerous professional groups to which he
2-19 belonged were The College of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Bar
2-20 Foundation, American Board of Trial Advocates, and Academy of Rail
2-21 Labor Attorneys; and
2-22 WHEREAS, This distinguished Texan served as president of the
2-23 Texas Trial Lawyers Association and as a member of the Pepperdine
2-24 University School of Law Board of Visitors; he was a Fellow of the
2-25 American College of Trial Lawyers, and his name was repeatedly
2-26 listed in The Best Lawyers in America; and
2-27 WHEREAS, Mr. Bowen relished challenges outside of the
3-1 courtroom as well as within: a former college football lineman in
3-2 spite of his relatively light weight, he found rejuvenation in
3-3 running marathons and competed in the Boston Marathon on several
3-4 occasions; for relaxation he also loved retreating to the quiet
3-5 simplicity of his ranch in Coke County; and
3-6 WHEREAS, The integrity, courage, and loyalty that Don Bowen
3-7 displayed throughout his life, together with his erudition,
3-8 virtuoso legal skills, and unequivocal commitment to his clients,
3-9 gained for him the enormous respect and affection of his family,
3-10 friends, and associates, and the spirit of this good man will
3-11 surely live on in the hearts of all he so deeply touched; now,
3-12 therefore, be it
3-13 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
3-14 Legislature hereby pay special tribute to the life of J. Donald
3-15 "Don" Bowen and extend sincere sympathy to his family: to his
3-16 wife, Latimer Bowen; to his daughter and son-in-law, Ashley Bowen
3-17 Mayo and Todd Mayo; to his sons, Watson Bowen and Shane Bowen; to
3-18 his mother, Jo Bowen; to his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew,
3-19 Donna Bowen, Steve Stiles, and Michael Hughes; and to the many
3-20 others who held him dear; and, be it further
3-21 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-22 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas
3-23 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
3-24 J. Donald Bowen.
Uher
Laney Goodman Merritt
Alexander Goolsby Miller
Allen Gray Moreno of Harris
Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso
Bailey Grusendorf Morrison
Berman Gutierrez Mowery
Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat
Bosse Hamric Najera
Brimer Hardcastle Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira
Burnam Heflin Olivo
Callegari Hilbert Pickett
Capelo Hilderbran Pitts
Carter Hill Puente
Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay
Chisum Hochberg Rangel
Christian Hodge Raymond
Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar
Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas
Cook Hopson Ritter
Corte Howard Sadler
Counts Hunter Salinas
Crabb Hupp Seaman
Craddick Isett Shields
Crownover Janek Smith
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis
Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons
Delisi Junell Swinford
Denny Keel Talton
Deshotel Keffer Telford
Driver King of Parker Thompson
Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery
Dunnam Kitchen Truitt
Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman
Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris
Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher
Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal
Ellis Longoria Walker
Farabee Luna West
Farrar McCall Williams
Flores McClendon Wilson
Gallego McReynolds Wise
Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth
George Marchant Wolens
Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley
Giddings Maxey Yarbrough
Glaze Menendez Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 344 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on March 21, 2001.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House