SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 104
In Memory
of
R. Vic Mathias
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the
citizens of Austin in mourning R. Vic Mathias, who died January
14, 2013, at the age of 86; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mathias was born on March 5, 1926, in Copperas
Cove; he attended Texas Tech University and later earned a
bachelor's degree in business administration from The University
of Texas at Austin; and
WHEREAS, Like many of America's Greatest Generation, Mr.
Mathias joined the stream of young patriots who enlisted for
service during World War II; and
WHEREAS, As a combat infantryman bound for the Battle of
the Bulge, he witnessed a Christmas Eve torpedo attack that
claimed the lives of nearly 1,000 soldiers in his convoy; Mr.
Mathias never forgot the experience, and many decades later, his
steadfast commitment to supporting fellow veterans prompted him
to organize the first Honor Flight Austin trip to Washington,
D.C.; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mathias was a beloved businessman and key
player in Austin's economic development from the 1950s onward; as
chief executive officer of the Austin Chamber of Commerce for
more than 25 years, he helped attract the first wave of high-tech
companies to the area; and
WHEREAS, His business acumen also led him to help create
and operate such entrepreneurial entities as the Austin Economic
Development Council, the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau,
and Leadership Austin; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mathias was also a leading light in community
groups as diverse as the Rotary Club of Austin, the Austin
Symphony, the Town Lake Study Committee, the Beautify Texas
Council, and the Austin United Service Organization; and
WHEREAS, A man of great faith, Mr. Mathias served as a
president of Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Austin; he was equally
devoted to his wife of 63 years, Helen Thoresen Mathias, and
their children; his selflessness, wisdom, and counsel will long
serve as an inspiration to others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd
Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved
family of R. Vic Mathias; 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 Vic Mathias.
Watson
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 4, 2013, by
a rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate