SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 402
In Memory
of
Jack Pope
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins citizens
across the state in mourning the loss of the Honorable Jack Pope,
a beloved and revered citizen who died on February 25, 2017, at
the age of 103; and
WHEREAS, Jack Pope was born on April 18, 1913, in Abilene,
and graduated from the Abilene public school system; in 1934,
he earned a bachelor of arts degree from Abilene Christian
University, and in 1937, he earned a law degree from The
University of Texas at Austin, where he was editor of the Texas
Law Review; and
WHEREAS, While in Austin, Jack met Allene Nichols, a fellow
recent graduate; they married on June 11, 1938, and they soon
moved to Corpus Christi; Jack began practicing law with his
uncle, W. E. Pope, but like so many patriots, he postponed his
career to serve his country during World War II; he joined the
United States Navy and served with distinction as a cryptologist
in Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, In 1964, he was elected to the Texas Supreme Court,
and in 1982, Governor Bill Clements appointed him chief justice
of the Texas Supreme Court; Justice Pope presided on the bench
for 38 years and is among the longest-serving judges on the state's
high courts; and
WHEREAS, Among his many accomplishments on the bench,
Justice Pope initiated new procedures for handling grievances
against attorneys, promulgated the Texas Rules of Judicial
Education, wrote the first jury handbook, and sponsored the
creation of the Texas State Law Library; he worked with judicial
colleagues to establish an Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts
program, which provides civil legal services to more than 100,000
poor families across Texas, and he was also considered an expert
on matters of complex water laws in Texas and the southwestern
United States; and
WHEREAS, After he retired, he developed the Jack Pope Fellows
Program at Abilene Christian University to provide scholarships
to students interested in careers in public service; he has been
honored as an Outstanding Alumnus of both Abilene Christian
University and The University of Texas at Austin, and in 2010,
the State Bar of Texas honored him with the Lifetime Achievement
Award; and
WHEREAS, Above all things, Jack prioritized matters of
family; he shared 66 years of marriage with Allene, and he built
on to their home to take care of his in-laws after Allene's father
suffered a stroke; Jack was blessed with two children, three
grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, who were a source
of immense pride and joy; and
WHEREAS, Jack Pope was a highly respected member of the
community, and he made immeasurable contributions to the Texas
Judicial System; in 2014, the Texas Supreme Court Historical
Society published Common Law Judge: Selected Writings of Chief
Justice Jack Pope of Texas, a collection of essays and opinions
and a biography of this truly distinguished Texan who has left
behind a proud and lasting legacy in the Lone Star State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved
family of Jack Pope; 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 Jack Pope.
Watson
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 9, 2017, by a
rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate