78R4279 WMS-D

By:  McClendon                                                    H.R. No. 101



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a distinguished native son 
with the passing of the Honorable Maury Maverick, Jr., on January 
28, 2003, at the age of 82; and
	WHEREAS, After graduating from the Texas Military Institute 
in 1938, Mr. Maverick joined the U.S. Marines and served his country 
during World War II in the Pacific theater; his higher education 
included a bachelor's degree in economics from The University of 
Texas and a law degree from St. Mary's University; and
	WHEREAS, Following in the footsteps of his father, who was a 
United States representative and mayor of San Antonio, Mr. Maverick 
entered the political arena and won a seat in the Texas House of 
Representatives; as a member of that distinguished body from 1950 
to 1956, he consistently took principled stands against Red-baiting 
and discriminatory legislation, and he helped derail a bill that 
would have imposed the death penalty on convicted Communists; and
	WHEREAS, He then turned his seemingly limitless energy to his 
legal practice, undertaking many cases relating to civil rights law 
and tirelessly representing the downtrodden and the disadvantaged; 
in 1964 he successfully argued a case before the United States 
Supreme Court, overturning the arrest of a San Antonio man for the 
possession of supposedly seditious papers that included the works 
of Karl Marx and Jean-Paul Sartre; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Maverick's notable legal expertise was matched 
by his exceptional generosity; in recognition of his work on more 
than 300 pro bono cases during his career, he was chosen to receive 
the prestigious John Minor Wisdom Public Interest and Professional 
Award by the American Bar Association in 1991; and
	WHEREAS, Also a gifted writer, he began a long association 
with the San Antonio Express-News in 1980, and his popular and 
provoking columns graced that publication's pages for over two 
decades; and
	WHEREAS, To his varied roles as an attorney, public servant, 
and columnist, Mr. Maverick brought an unshakeable commitment to 
serving the needs of those whose voices so often go unheard; the 
qualities of courage, tenacity, and wit that were ever-present in 
his life are virtues admired by all Texans, and his legacy of 
achievement will benefit residents of our state for generations to 
come; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby pay special tribute to the life of the Honorable 
Maury Maverick, Jr., and extend sincere sympathy to the members of 
his family: to his wife, Julia Maverick; to his sister, Terrellita 
Maverick; and to the many other relatives, friends, and admirers of 
this beloved Texas icon; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas House 
of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Maury 
Maverick, Jr.