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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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commemorates the life of Jimmy Don Blair, who died in 2023 at the |
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age of 81; and |
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WHEREAS, Jimmy Don Blair was born on September 27, 1941, in |
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the town of Borger in the Texas Panhandle; an accomplished |
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athlete and student, he graduated from Borger High School and |
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went on to attend Oklahoma University; a talented and adventurous |
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young man, Jim earned his pilot license, and after deciding to |
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pursue a career in law rather than medicine during his senior |
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year, he flew to The University of Texas to enroll in law school; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Jim was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1967 and |
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moved to the Texas Panhandle, where he served the City of |
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Amarillo as assistant city attorney and as city judge; Jim also |
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served as the assistant district attorney of Randall County |
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before later relocating to Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his time in public service, Jim sought |
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to create more efficient and effective processes in local |
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government to better serve citizens, and he and three other city |
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attorneys formed a private law firm dedicated to performing |
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essential services to aid local governments, beginning with the |
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collection of delinquent property taxes; and |
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WHEREAS, Highly respected by his colleagues, community |
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members, and clients, Jim was profoundly knowledgeable in many |
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legal fields and used his expertise to improve the lives of |
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others; he was instrumental in updating the Texas Property Tax |
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Code by drafting legislation that penalized delinquent taxpayers |
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rather than burdening taxing entities and other taxpaying |
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citizens; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1980, Jim transferred his legal practice to |
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Houston to be of service to more people; over ensuing decades, he |
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and his partners altered the firm, which now is known as |
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Linebarger, Goggan, Blair, and Sampson; he retired in 2006 and |
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became a senior advisor to the firm; and |
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WHEREAS, Jim was a man of deep faith who gave unselfishly |
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to others throughout his life; guided by a spirit of generosity, |
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he hosted more than 300 fundraisers over 10 years and contributed |
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to numerous philanthropic organizations, including disaster |
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relief efforts, and foundations to support education, cancer |
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patients, community clinics, and a food bank; and |
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WHEREAS, Named the hometown hero of The Woodlands in 2011, |
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he was widely known and admired throughout the community, where |
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he shared 35 rewarding years of marriage with Nelda Luce Blair; |
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he was a devoted father to his daughter, Maris Ann Blair, and a |
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loving father-in-law to her husband, David Hall, and, his |
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kindness and wisdom were a source of light in the lives of those |
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around him; he leaves behind an inspiring legacy of generosity |
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and service, and his memory will be forever cherished by his many |
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loved ones and by all who were privileged to share in his life; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Jimmy Don Blair; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Jim Blair. |