| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Carlton Carl of Martindale, an admired wordsmith, |
|
|
philanthropist, entrepreneur, and friend to many, passed away on |
|
|
March 25, 2025, at the age of 79; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The son of Claudia and Urbane Carl, Carlton Carl was |
|
|
born in Houston on September 20, 1945, and grew up with an older |
|
|
brother, Colin; he graduated from Columbia University and went on |
|
|
to earn his master's degree from the institution's renowned |
|
|
journalism school; at the age of 26, he was appointed press |
|
|
secretary to then-governor Preston Smith; two years later, he |
|
|
joined the staff of Texas House Speaker Price Daniel Jr.; he |
|
|
subsequently worked on or ran campaigns for such Democratic Party |
|
|
legends as Bob Bullock and Ann Richards; in 1983, he moved to |
|
|
Washington, D.C., as press secretary to U.S. Representative John |
|
|
Bryant, of Dallas, Texas, a close friend; he later became vice |
|
|
president of communications, policy, and strategy for the American |
|
|
Association for Justice, the national organization of trial lawyers |
|
|
dedicated to seeking civil redress for workers and consumers; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Carl's love of small-town Texas drew him back to |
|
|
the state in the mid-2000s, when he sold his townhome in |
|
|
Washington, D.C., to take on the mission of revitalizing old |
|
|
downtown Martindale; after purchasing three vacant general stores, |
|
|
a decommissioned bank, and multiple other parcels, he became a |
|
|
friend, mentor, and supporter, as well as landlord, to many local |
|
|
business owners; he was instrumental in establishing the library |
|
|
and organizing a variety of community-building events and |
|
|
initiatives; fascinated by the town's heritage, he became a |
|
|
founding member of the Martindale Historic Preservation Commission |
|
|
and helped create the historic district; his efforts facilitated |
|
|
Martindale's rise as a top choice of movie and television location |
|
|
scouts seeking a classic turn-of-the-20th-century site; along the |
|
|
way, he was recruited as CEO and publisher of the Texas Observer, a |
|
|
revered bastion of progressive and investigative journalism; he |
|
|
went on to serve the publication as a proofreader and, until his |
|
|
death, a member of the board of its governing nonprofit; devoted to |
|
|
his family, he enthusiastically followed all their activities and |
|
|
interests; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Through his wide-ranging endeavors, Carlton Carl |
|
|
made a meaningful difference in the world around him, and his warmth |
|
|
and generosity will remain a source of inspiration to all who were |
|
|
privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Carlton Carl and |
|
|
extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his nephew |
|
|
and nieces, Daniel, Rebecca, Eleanor, and Elisabeth Carl; to his |
|
|
grandnephews and grandniece, Amoni, Jude, Zev, Zia, Porter, |
|
|
Theodore, and Emet; to his sister-in-law, Glenda Carl; and to his |
|
|
other relatives and host of 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 Carlton |
|
|
Carl. |