Bill Text: TX HCR68 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Will David Davis Sr. of Austin.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2017-04-05 - Signed by the Governor [HCR68 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR68-Enrolled.html
| H.C.R. No. 68 | ||
|
|
||
| WHEREAS, The certain knowledge of a life well lived may | ||
| comfort those saddened by the death of Will David Davis Sr., who | ||
| passed away on December 12, 2016, at the age of 87; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Born in Houston on July 18, 1929, Will Davis was the | ||
| son of David Davis and Nita Barnett Davis; in 1934, he moved to | ||
| Austin with his mother, and five years later, when he was only nine, | ||
| he became the youngest page to serve the Texas Legislature; he | ||
| worked during three sessions to help provide for his family; and | ||
| WHEREAS, After graduating from Austin High School, Mr. Davis | ||
| went on to play football for Lamar University and then Baylor | ||
| University, where he completed his bachelor's and law degrees; he | ||
| was a member of the Baylor team that played in the 1951 Orange Bowl, | ||
| and he won election as president of the student body; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Davis was hired as an assistant attorney | ||
| general, and in 1957, he was appointed general counsel of the Texas | ||
| Department of Insurance by Governor Price Daniel; three years | ||
| later, he joined his uncle, W. W. Heath, as a partner in the firm | ||
| that became Heath, Davis, and McCalla; in 2010, he took on the role | ||
| of counsel to Thompson Coe, and he retired the following year; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Over the course of his distinguished career, | ||
| Mr. Davis represented major insurance companies, insurance holding | ||
| companies, and insurance trade associations; he became general | ||
| counsel for the Texas Association of Life and Health Insurers at its | ||
| inception in 1997, having served one of its predecessor | ||
| organizations for many years; in addition, he served as outside | ||
| general counsel and as a member of advising boards of directors and | ||
| management for several insurance companies; he frequently | ||
| represented insurance company clients before the Texas | ||
| Legislature, and as an insurance industry representative, he was | ||
| instrumental in the drafting of laws that are now part of the Texas | ||
| Insurance Code; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Davis was very engaged in the political arena, | ||
| and in the 1960s, he served as chair of the Texas Democratic Party | ||
| and of the Texas State Democratic Conventions; moreover, he was a | ||
| delegate to both state and national conventions and served in many | ||
| campaigns and on many gubernatorial inauguration committees; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Because his mother had been a teacher, Mr. Davis | ||
| felt called to support public education and professionals in the | ||
| field through his leadership; he was a member of the Austin | ||
| Independent School District Board of Trustees for 16 years and | ||
| served three terms as president; in 1978, he was president of the | ||
| National School Boards Association, and he served as an officer for | ||
| seven years; and | ||
| WHEREAS, At the state level, Mr. Davis was president of the | ||
| Texas Association of School Boards; he was a member of the | ||
| Governor's Select Committee on Public Education, which made | ||
| recommendations for major reforms that were adopted by the | ||
| legislature in the 1984 Special Session as House Bill 72; in | ||
| addition, he was elected to the Texas State Board of Education and | ||
| his tenure, which spanned more than a decade, included a term as | ||
| vice chair; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Davis benefited higher education as well; one of | ||
| the original seven founders of Austin Community College, he became | ||
| inaugural president of the board of trustees in 1972, and following | ||
| three terms, he remained a board member until 1982; during that | ||
| time, enrollment grew to more than 20,000 students, and today, ACC | ||
| is one of the largest community colleges in Texas; he was also chair | ||
| of the Baylor University Board of Regents from 2004 to 2006 and | ||
| served as a regent for almost two decades; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The recipient of myriad accolades for his | ||
| professional and civic accomplishments, Mr. Davis was accorded | ||
| Baylor's Distinguished Alumni Award, the Price Daniel "Pro Texana" | ||
| Distinguished Public Service Award, and the "Pro Texana" Award; in | ||
| 1991, AISD paid tribute to his achievements with the opening of the | ||
| Will D. Davis Elementary School, and nine years later, the Texas | ||
| Association of School Boards named its office the Will D. Davis | ||
| Building; the Insurance Council of Texas presented him with its | ||
| Raymond Mauk Award for leadership in 2010, and two years later, | ||
| TALHI conferred on him its first Will Davis Leadership Award; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A devoted family man, Mr. Davis shared a rewarding | ||
| marriage of 57 years with Ann Byargeon Davis before her passing; he | ||
| took great pride in his children, Lisa Davis, Lynn Davis Walker, and | ||
| Will Davis Jr., as well as in his nine grandchildren, Katelyn | ||
| Baroch, Allie Frazier, Becca Jahnke, Bill Walker III, Davis Walker, | ||
| Natalie Betzer, Will Davis III, Emily Boone, and Sara Regan, and | ||
| five great-grandchildren, Davis and Blake Baroch, Annaleigh | ||
| Frazier, Mary Carson Walker, and William "Liam" A. Walker IV; he was | ||
| a valued member of Hyde Park Baptist Church and taught young married | ||
| couples in Sunday school for many years; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Will Davis left a lasting imprint on the Lone Star | ||
| State through his outstanding contributions, and although he is | ||
| deeply missed by those he left behind, they will continue to find | ||
| inspiration in his irreproachable character and his dedication to | ||
| his family, his faith, and his fellow citizens; now, therefore, be | ||
| it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby pay tribute to the memory of Will David Davis Sr. and extend | ||
| sincere sympathy to his loved ones; 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of | ||
| Will David Davis Sr. | ||
| Smithee | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 68 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
| rising vote of the House on March 16, 2017. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 68 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
| rising vote of the Senate on March 21, 2017. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
