H.R. No. 83
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Texas A&M University lost a gifted leader with the
passing of Dr. Frank E. Vandiver, on January 7, 2005; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Vandiver served with distinction as the 19th
president of Texas A&M University from 1981 to 1988, and under his
able guidance, the institution set its sights on becoming a
world-class university, hiring its first Nobel Laureate and
Pulitzer Prize winners, creating a Faculty Senate, and surpassing
the $100 million mark in budgeted research and the $1 billion mark
in endowment; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his exceptional tenure with Texas
A&M, Dr. Vandiver skillfully led as interim president of the
American University in Cairo, president of North Texas State
University, provost of Rice University, and acting president of
Rice University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Vandiver dedicated his intellect and energy to
his chosen field, serving as historian of the U.S. Civil Service;
Air Force historian in Montgomery, Alabama; instructor and
assistant professor at Washington University; assistant,
associate, and Harrison Master, Jr., professor of history at Rice
University; Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford
University; visiting professor of military history at West Point;
and as holder of the John and Sara H. Lindsey Chair in Humanities
and Distinguished University President of Texas A&M University from
1988 until his passing; and
WHEREAS, The author of 20 historical books, this accomplished
gentleman wrote the definitive biographies Mighty Stonewall and
Black Jack: The Life and Times of John J. Pershing, which was a
finalist for the National Book Awards in 1978; his other works
include Ploughshares into Swords: Josiah Gorgas and Confederate
Ordnance, Rebel Brass: The Confederate Command System, Jubal's
Raid: General Early's Famous Attack on Washington in 1864, Their
Tattered Flags: The Epic of the Confederacy, Blood Brothers: A
Short History of the Civil War, Shadows of Vietnam: Lyndon
Johnson's War, and numerous articles and essays on military
history; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Vandiver devoted his life to the pursuit of
knowledge through scholarly endeavor, encouraging students of all
ages, and serving on countless boards and committees, including the
Department of the Army, Office of the Chief of Military History,
Advisory Council; National Council of the Humanities; the Rhodes
Scholarship Selection Committee for Texas; the Association of
American Colleges, Educational Advisory Committee, U.S. Command
and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; the Committee
on Armed Services, U.S. Senate, Outside Expert for Defense
Reorganization Project; Board of Visitors, U.S. Air Force Air
University; the New York Academy of Sciences; the Secretary of
Defense's Total Force Policy Study Group; the Secretary of the Air
Force's History Advisory Committee; and the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his time on this earth, Frank Vandiver
was widely respected as a man of wisdom and integrity, who gave
unstintingly of his energies and talents in whatever mission he
undertook; his purposeful life was rich in family, friends, and
accomplishments, and although he will be greatly missed by all who
knew him, his spirit will live on in the hearts of the many people
whose lives he touched; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature hereby pay special tribute to the life of Dr. Frank E.
Vandiver and extend deepest sympathy to his wife, Renee; to his
children, Nita Jackson, Nancy Wahl, and Frank A. Vandiver; and to
all those who mourn the passing of this esteemed Texan; 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
Dr. Frank E. Vandiver.
Brown of Brazos
Hochberg
Craddick Geren Menendez
Allen of Harris Giddings Merritt
Allen of Dallas Gonzales Miller
Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Moreno of Harris
Anchia Goodman Moreno of El Paso
Anderson Goolsby Morrison
Bailey Griggs Mowery
Baxter Grusendorf Naishtat
Berman Guillen Nixon
Blake Haggerty Noriega
Bohac Hamilton Oliveira
Bonnen Hamric Olivo
Branch Hardcastle Orr
Brown of Kaufman Harper-Brown Otto
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Paxton
Burnam Hegar Pena
Callegari Herrero Phillips
Campbell Hilderbran Pickett
Casteel Hill Pitts
Castro Hochberg Puente
Chavez Hodge Quintanilla
Chisum Homer Raymond
Coleman Hope Reyna
Cook of Navarro Hopson Riddle
Cook of Colorado Howard Ritter
Corte Hughes Rodriguez
Crabb Hunter Rose
Crownover Hupp Seaman
Davis of Harris Isett Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas Jackson Smith of Harris
Dawson Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Delisi Jones of Dallas Solis
Denny Keel Solomons
Deshotel Keffer of Dallas Strama
Driver Keffer of Eastland Swinford
Dukes King of Parker Talton
Dunnam King of Zavala Taylor
Dutton Kolkhorst Thompson
Edwards Krusee Truitt
Eiland Kuempel Turner
Eissler Laney Uresti
Elkins Laubenberg Van Arsdale
Escobar Leibowitz Veasey
Farabee Luna Villarreal
Farrar Madden Vo
Flores Martinez West
Flynn Martinez Fischer Wong
Frost McCall Woolley
Gallego McClendon Zedler
Gattis McReynolds
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 83 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on February 10, 2005.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House