H.R. No. 25 


R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The family and friends of Bill Wyatt Waters were deeply saddened by the passing of this distinguished lawyer and longtime Pampa civic leader on August 4, 2004, at the age of 79; and WHEREAS, Mr. Waters was born in Idalou on November 23, 1924; he graduated from Pampa High School in 1943, studied engineering at New York University while a member of the armed forces, and received a law degree from The University of Texas in 1949; and WHEREAS, Answering his country's call to service, he distinguished himself as an engineer in the U.S. Army in Europe from 1944 to 1945, where his exceptional bravery earned him multiple Bronze Stars; and WHEREAS, After completing law school, Mr. Waters returned to Pampa to establish a practice; one year later, in 1950, he won election as county attorney of Gray County, and after four years in that post he served 14 years as district attorney; he returned to private practice on a full-time basis in 1969 and continued to work as an attorney for more than three decades, retiring from the firm of Waters, Holt & Fields shortly before his death; and WHEREAS, During his remarkable career, this esteemed gentleman was active in a host of professional organizations; his service included terms as president of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, district director of the State Bar of Texas, and member of the State Bar of Texas Professional Ethics Committee; and WHEREAS, Mr. Waters lent his time and talents to many worthy civic endeavors, serving as a director of the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, trustee and chairman of the M. K. Brown Foundation, trustee and secretary of the Gray-Pampa Foundation, and board member for the Fairview Cemetery Association, Pampa Industrial Foundation, Pampa Youth and Community Center, and Pampa Economic Development Corporation; in addition, he was a charter member of the Mary Ellen and Harvester Church of Christ, where he taught a Bible class and held the office of deacon; and WHEREAS, Named Pampa Citizen of the Year in 1989, Mr. Waters received further accolades from Rotary International and the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas; he was inducted into the Pampa Harvester Hall of Fame in 2000 and inducted posthumously into the Panhandle Veterans Hall of Honor; and WHEREAS, Bill Waters was married to Elaine Carlson Waters from 1946 until her passing in 1979; in 1982 he married Sandra Enloe; a devoted husband, he was also the proud father of two sons and a stepdaughter; and WHEREAS, Over the course of more than half a century, Bill Waters embodied the highest standards of his profession while contributing immeasurably to the civic spirit and progress of his community, and the blessing of his life will be forever cherished by those who were privileged to share in the warmth of his love and friendship; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Bill W. Waters and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Sandra Waters; to his sons, Leland Wyatt Waters and Steven David Waters; to his stepdaughter, Julianna Enloe Gilbert; to his grandsons, Colbert Wyatt Waters, David Daniel Waters, Samuel Jennings Waters, George Armstrong Waters, and Braden Christopher Gilbert; to his granddaughters, Kellen Elaine Brown, Emily Diane Waters, Grace Adele Waters, Katharine Alexis Gilbert, and Madeline Grace Gilbert; and to his two great-grandchildren; 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 Bill W. Waters. Chisum ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 25 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on February 3, 2005. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House