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