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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Keith Pendergrass of Austin passed away |
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on June 21, 2018, at the age of 93, leaving his loved ones to reflect |
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on a life of meaningful accomplishments and dedicated service to |
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his country; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Lee Roy and Helena Slezinsky Pendergrass, |
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Robert Pendergrass was born in Kingsville on September 15, 1924, |
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and he grew up with the companionship of two siblings, William and |
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Helen; after graduating early from Crozier Technical High School in |
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downtown Dallas, he enrolled at Texas A&M College in 1941, at age |
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16; he was one of the few first-semester freshmen to be admitted to |
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the college's Singing Cadets choral group, and he retained his |
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passion for singing and music throughout his life; both he and his |
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brother showcased their vocal talents as regular performers on the |
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WRR Gospel Hour in Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, On December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on |
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Pearl Harbor, Mr. Pendergrass volunteered for service in the United |
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States Army, which granted him a deferred induction until the end of |
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the school year in 1942; assigned to the Medical Corps, he was sent |
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to Ohio State University and the University of Michigan Medical |
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School to complete his undergraduate and medical degrees; after |
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completing his surgical residency at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, he |
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reenlisted in the U.S. Air Force to assist in the Korean War effort; |
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he served as chief of surgery for the 3555th Medical Group at Perrin |
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Air Force Base in Sherman before being promoted to commander of the |
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3645th Medical Group and Hospital at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del |
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Rio; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1953, Dr. Pendergrass entered private practice |
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as a general family physician and surgeon in Pittsburg; he |
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continued in that role until 1980, often treating patients on house |
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calls, as had long been the practice in rural East Texas; during |
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that time, he also served as medical director for the Medical and |
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Surgical Hospital of Camp County and as a faculty member of the |
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medical schools at Louisiana State and Vanderbilt Universities; he |
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found great fulfillment in caring for local residents, and he also |
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worked tirelessly to eradicate racial bigotry in the area; in 1964, |
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he successfully ran for and served as president of the Pittsburg |
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School Board to help ensure the full integration of the school |
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system; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Pendergrass shared 67 years of marriage with his |
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beloved wife, Mary Pendergrass; he took great pride in his four |
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children and their spouses, Robert Keith Pendergrass and his wife, |
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Juli, Mary Virginia Lannen and her husband, Rick, Henry Lee |
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Pendergrass and his wife, Coleen, and Peter William Pendergrass and |
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his wife, Desiree; with the passing years, the family grew to |
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include nine grandchildren, Virginia, John, R. H., Anna, Sarah, |
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Peter, Katie, Abby, and Annie, as well as three |
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great-grandchildren; Dr. Pendergrass also welcomed into his home a |
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Swedish exchange student, Janne Zetterqvist, who became like a son |
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to him; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1981, Dr. Pendergrass and his wife moved to |
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Austin, where he worked for the Texas Department of Human Resources |
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as the deputy commissioner for health policy and programs and as the |
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special assistant for health affairs; he later became the Texas |
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state Medicaid director, as well as vice president and medical |
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director for the National Heritage Insurance Company and a medical |
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advisor for Electronic Data Systems; he had the distinction of |
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being appointed by Governor Bill Clements to the Governor's |
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Coordinating Committee to Facilitate Organ Transplants, and he was |
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reappointed by Governor Mark White after Governor Clements left |
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office; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply proud of his Texas heritage, Dr. Pendergrass |
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was a founding member of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, |
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which gave him an outlet to share the state's rich history with |
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friends and acquaintances who visited Austin; he and his wife were |
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also valued members of St. David's Episcopal Church; after retiring |
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at age 72, he taught himself Spanish and took up oil painting, |
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completing several works for his grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Pendergrass was admired and respected |
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for his considerable gifts and accomplishments, as well as for his |
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devotion to his family, state, and country, and he will forever |
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remain a source of inspiration for those he leaves behind; now, |
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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 memory of Dr. Robert Keith |
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Pendergrass and extend sincere sympathy to his family and friends; |
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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 |
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Dr. Pendergrass. |