SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 444
 
 
  In Memory
  of
  Gus Franklin Mutscher
 
         WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and
  commemorates the life of Gus Franklin Mutscher, a celebrated Texan
  and esteemed former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives,
  who died February 26, 2023, at the age of 90; and
 
         WHEREAS, Born in the community of William Penn in
  Washington County on September 19, 1932, Gus was a native and
  lifelong Texan and an influential figure in state politics; his
  illustrious career of public service and his outstanding
  leadership in the Texas House of Representatives helped create
  elevated standards in Texas higher education, services in mental
  health and intellectual disabilities, environmental regulation,
  and state infrastructure; and
 
         WHEREAS, Gus attended Blinn College, where he participated
  on the championship debate team and was elected class president;
  he earned a degree in business administration from The University
  of Texas, where he served as president of Gamma Delta, a Lutheran
  Church-Missouri Synod student organization, and as a member of
  the Reserve Officers' Training Corps; he went on to serve with
  distinction as a commissioned reserve officer in the United
  States Army; and
 
         WHEREAS, After a career with the Borden Company in Houston,
  Gus was elected in 1960 to the Texas House of Representatives,
  where he served as a legislator for six terms; he represented
  Washington, Waller, and Austin Counties, and his many roles
  included serving as vice chair of the House Appropriations
  Committee, chair of the Committee on Claims and Accounts, chair of
  the Legislative Redistricting Committee, and member of the
  Legislative Budget Board and the Texas Legislative Council;
  Representative Mutscher was unanimously elected 67th Speaker of
  the Texas House of Representatives in 1969, and he presided over
  the House chamber during the 61st and 62nd Texas Legislatures; and
 
         WHEREAS, Speaker Mutscher was instrumental in passing
  legislation that bolstered the Texas higher education and health
  care systems by incorporating Baylor Medical School into the
  state education network; he helped to increase environmental
  protections by supporting legislation to keep Galveston County's
  beaches clean and to improve air and water quality; a proud
  Texan, Speaker Mutscher was passionate about preserving Texas
  history, and he played a significant role in the construction of
  the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco and the Star of
  the Republic Museum in Washington; he was a highly respected and
  admired Speaker of the House and representative of the public
  good, and he received recognition for his service from Presidents
  Lyndon B. Johnson and George H. W. Bush; and
 
         WHEREAS, After his retirement from the state legislature,
  Gus returned to public office to serve as Washington County Judge
  for 12 years; he worked in the cattle industry and the real estate
  market and gave generously of his time and resources to his
  community; he enjoyed tending to his cattle, cheering for the
  Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys, and spending time with his
  beloved children and his grandsons; a man of deep and abiding
  faith, Gus was a lifelong member of Grace Lutheran Church in
  Brenham and a steadfast leader of the Brenham community; and
 
         WHEREAS, Gus Mutscher was a man of strength, wisdom, and
  fierce determination; he will forever be remembered for his bold
  leadership and his enduring commitment to building a better
  future for every resident of the Lone Star State, and he leaves
  behind an inspiring legacy for all Texans; now, therefore, be it
 
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
  Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved
  family of Gus Franklin Mutscher; and, be it further
 
         RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
  his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas
  Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in
  memory of Gus Franklin Mutscher.
 
  Kolkhorst
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on April 19, 2023, by a
    rising vote.
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate