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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost an esteemed lawmaker and |
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dedicated public servant with the death of former State |
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Representative and Harris County Commissioner Tom Bass on March 3, |
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2019, at the age of 92; and |
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WHEREAS, A third-generation Houstonian, Tom Bass was born to |
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Mary Lee Scoggins Bass and Thomas Hutcheson Bass on January 11, |
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1927; he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944, and although World War |
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II soon ended, he remained in the Army Reserve until 1980, rising to |
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the rank of colonel; after graduating from The University of Texas |
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in 1950, he married his sweetheart, the former Mary Ann King, and |
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they became the parents of 10 children, Martin Gerard, who |
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predeceased him, and Patty, Paul, Rita, Amy, Vicki, Bob, Dan, |
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Laura, and David; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Bass began his career in education |
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with the Houston Independent School District, and following his |
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graduate studies, he taught political science at Dominican College |
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and the University of St. Thomas; his interest in politics led him |
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to run for office, and in 1962, he won election to the Texas House of |
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Representatives from Harris County; he chaired the committees on |
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school districts, narcotics investigating, interim activities, and |
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juvenile crime and delinquency and served on a number of others; |
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during the 62nd Legislature, he was a founding member of the "Dirty |
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Thirty," who crossed party lines to force out several prominent |
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state leaders enmeshed in the Sharpstown stock-fraud scandal; he |
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worked tirelessly to promote civil rights and to ensure that the |
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redistricting process gave a voice to previously disenfranchised |
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African American and Latino voters; and |
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WHEREAS, Following a decade in the legislature, |
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Representative Bass was elected to the Harris County Commissioners |
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Court; he fostered greater transparency, persuading the court to |
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publish meeting agendas; recognizing the challenges population |
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growth would bring, he spearheaded county efforts to buy up |
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flood-prone land, leading to the creation of parks and green belts; |
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in addition, he took a proactive approach to building |
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transportation and health care infrastructure; he was also aware of |
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changing demographics, and following the 1980 census, he pushed his |
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colleagues to redraw the county precinct boundaries to ensure |
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Precinct 1 was majority-minority; in 1985, he stepped down in order |
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to clear the way for African American candidates; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Bass continued to work in behalf of |
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his fellow citizens, bringing the state's first 9-1-1 District to |
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the county; in recognition of his contributions, the county named |
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Tom Bass Regional Park and the Greater Harris 9-1-1 critical call |
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center building in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, A longtime member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, |
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Representative Bass served as a lector, Eucharistic minister, and |
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member of the pastoral council; he was an avid runner, and he won |
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hundreds of age awards and competed in three Boston Marathons and |
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dozens of other long-distance races; into his 80s, he competed at |
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all levels of the Senior Olympics; he had friends of all ages and |
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played for pennies with his regular poker group; above all, he |
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enjoyed spending time with a large extended family, including 23 |
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grandchildren and 2 great-granddaughters, as well as many cousins; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Gentle, kind, and unassuming, Tom Bass always looked |
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out for those most vulnerable and sought to make democracy more |
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responsive and representative; he addressed issues at the state and |
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local levels with vision and principled leadership, and he will be |
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remembered with deep admiration and affection by all who were |
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fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Tom Bass |
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and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of former |
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State Representative Tom Bass. |