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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a distinguished native son |
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with the death of former governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr., on June 27, |
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2010, at the age of 87; and |
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WHEREAS, Dolph Briscoe, Jr., was born in Uvalde on April 23, |
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1923, to Dolph Briscoe, Sr., a prominent oilman and rancher, and |
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Georgie Briscoe; his family had deep roots in Texas, and his |
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ancestors included Andrew Briscoe, a signer of the Texas |
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Declaration of Independence, and Randolph Foster, one of Stephen F. |
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Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists; raised in the company of many |
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famous Texans of the day, Dolph Briscoe, Jr., glimpsed his future as |
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a nine-year-old in 1932, when he spent the night at the Governor's |
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Mansion and slept in a bed once used by Sam Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, He graduated as valedictorian of Uvalde High School |
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in 1939 and went on to graduate from The University of Texas, where |
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he was editor of the Cactus yearbook; answering his nation's call to |
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duty during World War II, this patriotic Texan enlisted in the U.S. |
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Army and served in the China-Burma-India theater of operations; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning stateside, Dolph Briscoe settled in his |
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hometown with his wife, the former Janey Slaughter, whom he met and |
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married while a student at UT; he soon entered politics, winning |
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election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1948, and, once in |
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office, made it his priority to pass legislation creating a |
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statewide system of farm-to-market roads; the Colson-Briscoe Act of |
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1949 subsequently helped revolutionize the farm economy in Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Briscoe left the legislature after |
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eight years to take over the family ranch, and in 1960, he became |
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the youngest president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers |
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Association; he worked hard in that role to advocate for screwworm |
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eradication, and his efforts eventually led to a successful program |
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that is still considered one of the most important developments in |
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the history of the industry; among the many other organizations |
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that benefited from Dolph Briscoe's leadership through the years |
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are the South Texas Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Chamber of |
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Commerce, the National Livestock and Meat Board, the Mohair Council |
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of America, and the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County; and |
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WHEREAS, He became the 40th governor of Texas in 1972, and in |
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1974, he won reelection by carrying 247 of the state's 254 counties; |
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in 1975, a law went into effect that extended the governor's term of |
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office, making Governor Briscoe the first to serve a four-year |
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term; during his tenure, he signed into law a series of ethics |
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reform measures, as well as the Texas Open Records Act, granting the |
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public access to government records; he also signed legislation |
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creating the Texas Public Utility Commission; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his political career, Governor Briscoe |
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remained active in ranching and served as senior chair of the |
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family-owned First State Bank of Uvalde; moreover, he devoted |
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himself to philanthropic work, giving generously to the UT System |
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in particular, with gifts to the UT Health Science Center at San |
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Antonio, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and UT Southwestern |
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Medical Center; in 2008, he donated $15 million to the Center for |
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American History at UT-Austin, which was later renamed in his |
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honor; he was especially concerned with Texas history and |
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traditions, and when the Governor's Mansion burned, he was the |
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first to contribute toward its restoration; and |
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WHEREAS, Governor Briscoe drew strength from his long and |
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loving partnership with Mrs. Briscoe until her passing in 2000, and |
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he also enjoyed the love and support of two daughters and a son; and |
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State gained immeasurably from the |
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vision, initiative, and outstanding contributions of Dolph |
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Briscoe, and his legacy will continue to shape the lives of Texans |
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for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Dolph Briscoe, Jr., |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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son, Dolph Briscoe III; to his daughters, Janey Briscoe Marmion and |
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Cele Briscoe Carpenter; to his five grandchildren; and to his other |
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relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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Governor Dolph Briscoe. |