82R887 JGH-D
By: Hilderbran H.C.R. No. 1
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a distinguished native son
with the death of former governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr., on June 27,
2010, at the age of 87; and
WHEREAS, Dolph Briscoe, Jr., was born in Uvalde on April 23,
1923, to Dolph Briscoe, Sr., a prominent oilman and rancher, and
Georgie Briscoe; his family had deep roots in Texas, and his
ancestors included Andrew Briscoe, a signer of the Texas
Declaration of Independence, and Randolph Foster, one of Stephen F.
Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists; raised in the company of many
famous Texans of the day, Dolph Briscoe, Jr., glimpsed his future as
a nine-year-old in 1932, when he spent the night at the Governor's
Mansion and slept in a bed once used by Sam Houston; and
WHEREAS, He graduated as valedictorian of Uvalde High School
in 1939 and went on to graduate from The University of Texas, where
he was editor of the Cactus yearbook; answering his nation's call to
duty during World War II, this patriotic Texan enlisted in the U.S.
Army and served in the China-Burma-India theater of operations; and
WHEREAS, Returning stateside, Dolph Briscoe settled in his
hometown with his wife, the former Janey Slaughter, whom he met and
married while a student at UT; he soon entered politics, winning
election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1948, and, once in
office, made it his priority to pass legislation creating a
statewide system of farm-to-market roads; the Colson-Briscoe Act of
1949 subsequently helped revolutionize the farm economy in Texas;
and
WHEREAS, Representative Briscoe left the legislature after
eight years to take over the family ranch, and in 1960, he became
the youngest president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers
Association; he worked hard in that role to advocate for screwworm
eradication, and his efforts eventually led to a successful program
that is still considered one of the most important developments in
the history of the industry; among the many other organizations
that benefited from Dolph Briscoe's leadership through the years
are the South Texas Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Chamber of
Commerce, the National Livestock and Meat Board, the Mohair Council
of America, and the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County; and
WHEREAS, He became the 40th governor of Texas in 1972, and in
1974, he won reelection by carrying 247 of the state's 254 counties;
in 1975, a law went into effect that extended the governor's term of
office, making Governor Briscoe the first to serve a four-year
term; during his tenure, he signed into law a series of ethics
reform measures, as well as the Texas Open Records Act, granting the
public access to government records; he also signed legislation
creating the Texas Public Utility Commission; and
WHEREAS, Following his political career, Governor Briscoe
remained active in ranching and served as senior chair of the
family-owned First State Bank of Uvalde; moreover, he devoted
himself to philanthropic work, giving generously to the UT System
in particular, with gifts to the UT Health Science Center at San
Antonio, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and UT Southwestern
Medical Center; in 2008, he donated $15 million to the Center for
American History at UT-Austin, which was later renamed in his
honor; he was especially concerned with Texas history and
traditions, and when the Governor's Mansion burned, he was the
first to contribute toward its restoration; and
WHEREAS, Governor Briscoe drew strength from his long and
loving partnership with Mrs. Briscoe until her passing in 2000, and
he also enjoyed the love and support of two daughters and a son; and
WHEREAS, The Lone Star State gained immeasurably from the
vision, initiative, and outstanding contributions of Dolph
Briscoe, and his legacy will continue to shape the lives of Texans
for years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Dolph Briscoe, Jr.,
and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his
son, Dolph Briscoe III; to his daughters, Janey Briscoe Marmion and
Cele Briscoe Carpenter; to his five 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of
Governor Dolph Briscoe.