2023S0298-1 03/13/23
By: Kolkhorst S.R. No. 444
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and
commemorates the life of Gus Franklin Mutscher, a celebrated
Texan and esteemed former Speaker of the Texas House of
Representatives, who died February 26, 2023, at the age of 90;
and
WHEREAS, Born in the community of William Penn in
Washington County on September 19, 1932, Gus was a native and
lifelong Texan and an influential figure in state politics; his
illustrious career of public service and his outstanding
leadership in the Texas House of Representatives helped create
elevated standards in Texas higher education, services in mental
health and intellectual disabilities, environmental regulation,
and state infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, Gus attended Blinn College, where he participated
on the championship debate team and was elected class president;
he earned a degree in business administration from The University
of Texas, where he served as president of Gamma Delta, a Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod student organization, and as a member of
the Reserve Officers' Training Corps; he went on to serve with
distinction as a commissioned reserve officer in the United
States Army; and
WHEREAS, After a career with the Borden Company in
Houston, Gus was elected in 1960 to the Texas House of
Representatives, where he served as a legislator for six terms;
he represented Washington, Waller, and Austin Counties, and his
many roles included serving as vice chair of the House
Appropriations Committee, chair of the Committee on Claims and
Accounts, chair of the Legislative Redistricting Committee, and
member of the Legislative Budget Board and the Texas Legislative
Council; Representative Mutscher was unanimously elected 67th
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives in 1969, and he
presided over the House chamber during the 61st and 62nd Texas
Legislatures; and
WHEREAS, Speaker Mutscher was instrumental in passing
legislation that bolstered the Texas higher education and health
care systems by incorporating Baylor Medical School into the
state education network; he helped to increase environmental
protections by supporting legislation to keep Galveston County's
beaches clean and to improve air and water quality; a proud
Texan, Speaker Mutscher was passionate about preserving Texas
history, and he played a significant role in the construction of
the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco and the Star of
the Republic Museum in Washington; he was a highly respected and
admired Speaker of the House and representative of the public
good, and he received recognition for his service from Presidents
Lyndon B. Johnson and George H. W. Bush; and
WHEREAS, After his retirement from the state legislature,
Gus returned to public office to serve as Washington County Judge
for 12 years; he worked in the cattle industry and the real estate
market and gave generously of his time and resources to his
community; he enjoyed tending to his cattle, cheering for the
Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys, and spending time with his
beloved children and his grandsons; a man of deep and abiding
faith, Gus was a lifelong member of Grace Lutheran Church in
Brenham and a steadfast leader of the Brenham community; and
WHEREAS, Gus Mutscher was a man of strength, wisdom, and
fierce determination; he will forever be remembered for his bold
leadership and his enduring commitment to building a better
future for every resident of the Lone Star State, and he leaves
behind an inspiring legacy for all Texans; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved
family of Gus Franklin Mutscher; 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 Gus Franklin Mutscher.