79S30414 JH-D

By:  Callegari                                                  H.C.R. No. 18 



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, The citizens of Houston lost a visionary business 
and civic leader with the passing of Walter Max Mischer on December 
18, 2005, at the age of 83; and
	WHEREAS, A native Texan, Mr. Mischer was born on July 4, 1922, 
in Karnes County, the son of Walter and Georgia Mischer; growing up 
in South Texas, he struggled with the early, sudden loss of his 
father and the economic difficulties of the Great Depression, but 
with the same resolve that he would exhibit for the rest of his 
life, Mr. Mischer worked hard to earn the necessary tuition to study 
engineering at the Texas College of Arts and Industries in 
Kingsville; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Mischer contributed to the American cause in 
World War II by supervising the construction of naval bases before 
turning his talent for building and planning to peaceful purposes 
in his new hometown of Houston; his innovative approach to 
residential development aided several generations of Texans in 
fulfilling their dreams of home ownership, and the respected name 
of Mischer Investments, his primary business, became synonymous 
with the growth of Houston into one of the premier cities of Texas 
and the United States; and
	WHEREAS, Walter Mischer's business acumen was also proven in 
banking, where his adept management led to the creation of Allied 
Bancshares in 1971; moreover, he was one of the founders of the 
Marathon Manufacturing Company, an important energy-services 
provider, and his enlightened stewardship of his land holdings in 
West Texas contributed to the creation of Big Bend Ranch State Park, 
an awe-inspiring preserve that can now be enjoyed by all; and
	WHEREAS, This thoughtful and perceptive man took an intense 
interest in the affairs of local, state, and federal government; 
providing assistance and guidance to a long line of legislators and 
executives, both Republican and Democrat, Mr. Mischer played an 
integral role in promoting the careers of some of the most esteemed 
political figures to hail from Texas, from Lyndon B. Johnson to 
George H. W. Bush; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Mischer's contributions to his state and to the 
city of Houston were recognized by the prestigious awards he 
received in his lifetime, which included being named Outstanding 
Citizen of Houston in 1965, being inducted into the Texas Business 
Hall of Fame in 1985, and winning the Impact Award from the West 
Houston Association in 2004; and
	WHEREAS, Walter Mischer's unique mix of entrepreneurial 
genius, civic responsibility, and influential ideas made him a 
sterling example of what one dedicated individual can accomplish by 
immersing himself in the political process, not to gain personal 
glory but to make a positive difference in the world around him; 
now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas, 
3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of Walter Max 
Mischer and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to 
his wife of 62 years, Mary Alford Mischer; to his children, Paula 
Mischer and Walter M. Mischer, Jr., and his wife, Leila; to his 
grandchildren, Candace Watson, Robert L. Corson and his wife, 
Olivia, Walter R. Corson and his wife, Jodie, Duncan M. Watson, 
Walter M. Mischer III, Lawson W. Mischer, and Morgan J. Mischer; to 
his great-grandsons, Nicholas A. Corson and Andrew Corson; to his 
sisters, Edna Kerlick and Marilyn Russell and her husband, Tom; and 
to his many other relatives and friends; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for his family, and that when the Texas House of 
Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of 
Walter Max Mischer.