SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 118
In Memory
of
Mark Wells White Jr.
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins Texans
across the state in mourning the loss of Mark Wells White Jr., who
died August 5, 2017, at the age of 77; and
WHEREAS, Governor White served the people of Texas with
dedication and integrity over the course of an exceptional career
in public service that spanned many years; a conservative
Democrat and a highly respected state leader and politician, Mark
White served with distinction as Texas' secretary of state,
attorney general, and governor; during his governorship, he was
noted for championing political and educational reform and for
making inclusiveness a high priority in all facets of life in
Texas; and
WHEREAS, Mark White was born March 17, 1940, in Henderson,
Texas, and he grew up in Houston; he attended Baylor University,
where he earned degrees in business administration and law, and
where he also met his beloved wife, Linda Gale White; and
WHEREAS, He began his career in statewide office at the age
of 32, when he was appointed by Governor Dolph Briscoe in 1973 to
be Texas secretary of state; in 1978, at the age of 37, he was
elected attorney general; and
WHEREAS, In 1982, he defeated the incumbent governor, Bill
Clements, to become the state's 43rd governor; during his term in
office, from 1983 to 1987, he was a powerful advocate for
transforming the state's educational system, and he pushed
through a $4 billion tax and fee increase to pay for improvements
in the state's public schools; an innovative and, at the time,
controversial aspect of his reform efforts was the
implementation of "no pass, no play," a measure that required
students to be passing all their classes in order to participate
in extracurricular activities; the measure endured a firestorm
of criticism and became a valued and integral part of the Texas
educational system that remains in place today; and
WHEREAS, Other features of his significant and successful
public school initiatives were reductions in class size, a 26
percent increase in funding to equalize statewide education
spending, and the implementation of statewide testing standards;
a number of states across the nation adopted into their
educational systems many of Governor White's groundbreaking
initiatives; and
WHEREAS, During Governor White's tenure, he grappled with
the state's struggling economy due to disruptions in the oil
market and the collapse of the savings and loan industry, which
led to drastically reduced revenues for the state; however, he
welcomed the era of new technology, and he is noted for embracing
diversification of the state's economy and for the major role he
played in the recruitment to Austin of the research conglomerate
MCC; and
WHEREAS, After leaving office, he returned to the private
practice of law; he also continued to be active on behalf of his
fellow Texans, and he eventually began to have serious
reservations about capital punishment; he urged lawmakers to
reconsider its use, and he worked with the Innocence Project on
behalf of wrongfully convicted inmates; and
WHEREAS, A man of courage and exceptional vision, he served
the people of Texas with loyalty and a commitment to fairness,
and his love of this state, his many accomplishments as its
governor, and his dedication to public service have had a lasting
and positive impact; and
WHEREAS, He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather,
and he leaves behind memories that will be treasured forever by
his family and countless friends and by all who were privileged
to share in his life; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby extend sincere
condolences to the bereaved family of Mark Wells White Jr.: his
wife, Linda Gale Thompson White; his sons, Mark White III and
Andrew White; his daughter, Elizabeth Marie White Russell; his
daughters-in-law, Melanie and Stacey; his son-in-law, Seth
Russell; his sister, Betty Gerlach; and his nine grandchildren;
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 Governor Mark White.
Watson
Bettencourt Hinojosa Perry Bettencourt Hinojosa Perry
Bettencourt Hinojosa Perry
Birdwell Huffines Rodríguez Birdwell Huffines Rodríguez
Birdwell Huffines Rodríguez
Buckingham Huffman Schwertner Buckingham Huffman Schwertner
Buckingham Huffman Schwertner
Burton Hughes Seliger Burton Hughes Seliger
Burton Hughes Seliger
Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin
Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin
Creighton Lucio Taylor of Galveston Creighton Lucio Taylor of Galveston
Creighton Lucio Taylor of Galveston
Estes Menéndez Uresti Estes Menéndez Uresti
Estes Menéndez Uresti
Garcia Miles West Garcia Miles West
Garcia Miles West
Hall Nelson Whitmire Hall Nelson Whitmire
Hall Nelson Whitmire
Hancock Nichols Zaffirini Hancock Nichols Zaffirini
Hancock Nichols Zaffirini
Patrick, President of the Senate
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on August 10, 2017, by
a rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate
Bettencourt Hinojosa Perry
Birdwell Huffines Rodríguez
Buckingham Huffman Schwertner
Burton Hughes Seliger
Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Collin
Creighton Lucio Taylor of Galveston
Estes Menéndez Uresti
Garcia Miles West
Hall Nelson Whitmire
Hancock Nichols Zaffirini