81R587 JGH-D
By: Hilderbran H.R. No. 25
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost an admired athlete, coach,
and youth development leader with the passing of former Olympic
swimmer Tex Julian Robertson on August 27, 2007, at the age of 98;
and
WHEREAS, Tex Robertson was born in Sweetwater on April 23,
1909, to Frank G. Robertson and Nancy Emerson Robertson; as a boy,
he learned to swim in a flooded creek and was known to practice his
aquatic skills in a horse trough; and
WHEREAS, A graduate of Sweetwater High School, Mr. Robertson
attended the University of Southern California and Los Angeles
Junior College, and he received a bachelor of arts degree from the
University of Michigan and a bachelor of science degree from The
University of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Robertson demonstrated his impressive swimming
skills at the University of Michigan, where he won Big 10 and NCAA
championships, and he was a member of the 1932 United States Olympic
Team; from the mid-1930s to 1943 and again from 1946 to 1950, he
coached swimming at The University of Texas, where he led the UT
team to the Southwest Conference championship in each of the 13
seasons that he served as coach; and
WHEREAS, During World War II, he interrupted his coaching
career to serve in the United States Navy as a swimming instructor
and a trainer of underwater demolition teams; and
WHEREAS, In 1939, Mr. Robertson married Pat Hudson, and
together they founded Camp Longhorn; the summer camp began with one
guest and 17 counselors but grew steadily through the years to
become a well-known and well-loved Texas institution; today, it
continues to host more than 4,000 campers each summer at two
locations; Mr. Robertson also played an important role in founding
the Camping Association for Mutual Progress to promote youth
camping in Texas; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his life, he was an influential swimming
advocate, founding the organizations Working Exes for Texas
Swimming and Texas Age Group Swimming and actively supporting the
growth of the sport at the high school level; for his efforts as an
athlete, coach, and swimming ambassador, he was inducted into the
Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1965 and received the Gold Medallion Award
from the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2003; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Robertson won national and international titles
in Masters Swimming competitions and continued to engage in his
favorite sport well into his 90s; in 2007, he was recognized with
the Texas Masters Swimming Lifetime Achievement Award; and
WHEREAS, This energetic and caring man was also active in the
life of his community; he was instrumental in the creation of a
range of organizations and events, including the Burnet Community
Center, the Honor Citizen Program, and Citizens of Burnet Schools;
he was honored by the Lower Colorado River Authority in 1998 with
his induction into the LCRA Walk of Honor; and
WHEREAS, In the course of the many years that he lived in the
Lone Star State, Tex Robertson promoted the joys and rewards of
aquatic exercise and the outdoors, and he played an important role
in the growth of competitive swimming; he will be deeply missed, but
he will live on in the fond memories of the generations of swimmers
and campers whose lives he enriched; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Tex Julian Robertson
and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his
wife of 67 years, Pat Robertson; to his sons, John Robertson and his
wife, Donna, Robby Robertson and his wife, Deidra, and Bill
Robertson and his wife, Carol; to his daughters, Sally Lucksinger
and Nancy Manning and her husband, Bobby; to his 18 grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives and
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 Tex Julian
Robertson.