82R28548 RYA-D

By: Bohac H.R. No. 2147

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The loss of William Arnold McMinn, Jr., of Brookshire, who passed away on April 11, 2011, at the age of 80, is deeply felt by his family and by the numerous friends he made through the years, as well as by the many people in Texas and beyond whose lives he forever enriched; and

WHEREAS, Born to William and Mary McMinn in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on July 29, 1930, Bill McMinn graduated from Clarksdale High School in 1948 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1952; following college, he was hired as a research chemist by Monsanto Chemical in Texas City; Mr. McMinn subsequently worked as an executive with a number of companies before joining the Sterling Group in 1986; during his tenure with that investment firm, he had a role in some of its most successful acquisitions, serving as president of Cain Chemical and as chair of both Arcadian Corporation and Texas Petrochemicals; he also served on the board of directors for a number of other companies, and he invested in technology start-ups in such cutting-edge fields as biotechnology, nanotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, and the private space industry; and

WHEREAS, Setting an outstanding example of civic engagement, Mr. McMinn was an active and valued member of the Republican Party; he sat on the board of directors for the Associated Republicans of Texas and served as the group's state finance chair during the 2008 election cycle; in addition, he was a past president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation Board of Directors, and he provided invaluable encouragement and support to a number of state and national leaders in their political campaigns; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Mr. McMinn remained a staunch benefactor of Vanderbilt University; he served on its board of trust from 1993 to 2001 and held lifetime membership in the College Cabinet and the Chancellor's Council; his philanthropy also encompassed the endowing of several university chairs and scholarships and the support of many charitable causes; among the latter was The Brookwood Community, a residential facility for adults with disabilities, on whose advisory board he served devotedly for more than 20 years; and

WHEREAS, In 1998, Vanderbilt University recognized Mr. McMinn with its Distinguished Alumnus Award, and three years later, Abilene Christian University conferred on him an honorary doctorate; and

WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan approached all his endeavors with enormous zest and energy; known for his wit and inquisitive mind, he cultivated an interest in history, physics, and astronomy, and for nearly 40 years he maintained an involvement in the ranching industry, owning ranches in Brenham, Johnson City, McDade, and Gustine; he flew in an F-16 fighter jet, participated in the Great Montana Centennial Cattle Drive of 1989, and went back to college in his 70s; and

WHEREAS, Bill McMinn met his wife, Nancy, while he was in college, and they were joined in matrimony on August 30, 1951; the couple enjoyed a rewarding marriage of 55 years, until her passing in 2007; they were blessed with four children, William, Mary, Nancy, and Patricia, as well as five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, While the death of William Arnold McMinn, Jr., brings immeasurable sorrow to his family and friends, he leaves behind a legacy of exceptional achievement that will long be treasured by all who held him dear; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of William Arnold McMinn, Jr., and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his son and daughter-in-law, William McMinn III and Marie McMinn; to his daughters and son-in-law, Nancy and Stephen Beasley, Mary Ogden, and Patricia McMinn; to his sisters, Caroline Murphy and Sister Mary Magdalen; to his grandchildren, Michael McMinn, Christina Snyder and her husband, Dyric, Tommy Ogden and his wife, Marguerite, Brad Beasley, and Kate Beasley; to his great-grandchildren; and to his 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of William McMinn, Jr.