H.C.R. No. 68

	HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	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