H.R. No. 391
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost a respected public servant
with the death of former state district court and court of appeals
judge Clyde Robert Ashworth of Arlington, who passed away on March
28, 2010, at the age of 87; and
WHEREAS, A native of Kaufman, Clyde Ashworth was born on
March 7, 1923, to Judge Charles Ashworth and Lucy Nugent Ashworth;
he graduated from high school as president of his class, attended
The University of Texas at Austin, and went on to graduate from
North Texas Agricultural College; and
WHEREAS, In 1942, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served
his country with distinction in the South Pacific during World War
II; he attained the rank of sergeant and completed officer
candidate training, through which he attended Colgate University
for two semesters; commissioned a second lieutenant, he was
released from active duty in 1945 and continued his service in the
reserve; and
WHEREAS, Judge Ashworth began his distinguished legal career
after earning his bachelor of business administration and law
degrees from Southern Methodist University; he opened his own
practice in Arlington in 1950 but was soon recalled to active duty
as a first lieutenant; assigned to legal duty, he attended the Naval
School of Military Justice and graduated with honors before working
as a prosecutor and defense counsel for General Courts Martial at
the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia; and
WHEREAS, Finishing his military service as a captain, Judge
Ashworth returned to Arlington in 1953 and established a successful
practice with Stewart Devore that grew to include six partners and
two associates; in November 1969, he earned appointment to the 67th
District Court, beginning an esteemed tenure that spanned 13 years;
and
WHEREAS, Judge Ashworth's outstanding work in behalf of his
fellow citizens led to his election to the Second Court of Appeals
in Fort Worth in 1982; he retired four years later, assuming the
status of senior judge, and continued to serve as a visiting justice
on both trial and appellate courts; he also worked with the law
firms of Jenks Garrett and Bruce Ashworth, his son, and later
established a mediation and arbitration practice that he managed
until his passing; and
WHEREAS, A leader in his profession, Judge Ashworth was
admitted to practice in all Texas state courts, the United States
District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the United
States Court of Military Appeals, and the United States Supreme
Court; he served as president of the Arlington Bar Association,
director of the Tarrant County Bar Association and the Tarrant
County Trial Lawyers Association, chair of the Tarrant County
Juvenile Board, and presiding judge of the Tarrant County Board of
District Judges; a sustaining life fellow for the Texas Bar
Foundation and charter sustaining life fellow for the Tarrant
County Bar Foundation, he was also a valued member of the District
XII Grievance Committee of the State Bar, the College of the State
Bar of Texas, and the Texas Center for Legal Ethics and
Professionalism; and
WHEREAS, Judge Ashworth contributed his leadership and
expertise as a director and chair of the Texas Turnpike Authority
and as president of the Arlington Independent School District from
1958 until 1969; moreover, he was a member of such worthwhile
organizations as the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Civitan,
Optimist, and Rotary Clubs of Arlington; and
WHEREAS, His exceptional efforts to benefit his fellow
citizens earned him a number of accolades through the years,
including the Silver Gavel Award for distinguished judicial service
from the Tarrant County Bar Association and the dedication of a
local elementary school in his honor; and
WHEREAS, A congregant of Arlington First United Methodist
Church for seven decades, Judge Ashworth served his community of
faith as president of the Methodist Men, Sunday school teacher and
superintendent, and usher captain, and as a member of the trustees,
official, and administrative boards; and
WHEREAS, Judge Ashworth enjoyed the support of a loving
family in all of his endeavors; he shared 50 years of marriage with
Ira Ashworth, with whom he raised five children, and after her
passing, he was fortunate to find love a second time with Juanita
Phillips, whom he married in 2002; and
WHEREAS, Clyde Ashworth was a true asset to his community,
his country, and his profession, and his deep commitment to
fairness and justice will continue to resonate in countless lives
for many years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Clyde
Ashworth and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family:
to his wife, Juanita Ashworth; to his children, Clyde R. "Bob"
Ashworth, Jr., Mark Nugent Ashworth and his wife, Brenda, Bruce
Alan Ashworth and his wife, Celeste, and Amy Elaine Ashworth; to his
grandchildren, Hamilton, Sage, Lindsay, Jean, Collin, Lucy, and
Allison; to his five stepchildren, Barbara Pace and her husband,
Jim, Britt Phillips and his wife, Janet, Lisa Phillips, Sally
Mycoskie and her husband, Cliff, and Sara Bishop and her husband,
Joe; to his step-grandchildren, Emily, Nicole, David, Brandon,
Claire, Jordan, Kate, Hunter, and Phillip; and to his other
relatives and many 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 Judge Clyde
Ashworth.
Patrick
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 391 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on March 3, 2011.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House