Recently Deceased

Emeritus member Billy Joe “Red” McCombs of San Antonio died February 19^th at the age of 95. He had been a member of the Society since 1991. McCombs was a veteran, a philanthropist, collector of Old West artifacts, vice chairman of the executive committee seeking to bring the 1968 World’s Fair to San Antonio, sports team owner (San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Nuggets), co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, now iHeartMedia, and owner of McCombs Enterprises, known most notably for car dealerships. He was the namesake of The University of Texas’ McCombs School of Business. His obituary on the website can be read here. 

Physicist Roy W. Schwitters of Austin died January 10, 2023. Dr. Schwitters was the S. W. Richardson Regents Chair in Physics Emeritus at The University of Texas at Austin where he joined the faculty in 1990. He was former director of the Superconducting Super Collider and one of the founding fathers of the CDF experiment at Fermilab. Before working at The University of Texas, Dr. Schwitters was a professor of physics at Harvard University and at Stanford University. He was inducted into the Society in 1992. An article about him can be read in the Austin American-Statesman here.

Lauro F. Cavazos died March 15, 2022. Cavazos was the first Latino cabinet member as he served as secretary of education under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He began his career as a professor of anatomy at the Medical College of Virginia. In 1964 he became a professor and later the dean of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. He next served as president of Texas Tech University from 1980 to 1988. Dr. Cavazos was born on the King Ranch and wrote two memoirs: A Kineño Remembers: From the King Ranch to the White House (2006) and A Kineño’s Journey: On Family, Learning, and Public Service (2016). He had been a member of the Society for 40 years, inducted in 1982. An obituary can be read here. 

Charles Duncan was a businessman, World War II veteran, civil servant, and philanthropist. Duncan began working for the company his father started, Duncan Coffee Company, eventually becoming its president. He moved on to The Coca-Cola Company, where he was eventually president there. He served as President Jimmy Carter’s Deputy Secretary of Defense and then as Secretary of Energy. He also served on a number of boards and was active in Houston city affairs. Mr. Duncan was a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas for almost 45 years, since 1978. His obituary can be read here and articles about Mr. Duncan’s death were published in the NY Times, Washington Post, and Houston Chronicle.

Rabbi Jimmy Kessler, who died on September 14, 2022, was a Society member for almost 30 years (inducted in 1993). He retired in 2014 from being rabbi of Congregation B'nai Israel in Galveston and was made Rabbi Emeritus.  Rabbi Kessler founded the Texas Jewish Historical Society in 1980 and was its first president. He served as director of the University of Texas Hillel Foundation in Austin. Kessler also served on numerous boards, was the director of several family funds in Galveston, and was a teacher and an author. His obituary can be read here. 

C. Cullen Smith Jr. was an attorney, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and a civic leader. He served as chair of the American Bar Association, president of the State Bar of Texas, and of counsel for Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, LLP, where he was also president for many years.  He also served on the Waco City Council in the early 1980s, including a term as Mayor Pro Tem.  Mr. Cullen was a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas since 2002. His obituary can be read here.

Thomas F. Staley was an author, professor emeritus and 25-year director of the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Staley was an internationally-recognized James Joyce scholar and was the founding editor of the James Joyce Quarterly. He was a 31 year member of the Philosophical Society of Texas, inducted in 1991. An article about Dr. Staley can be read here.

Patrick Oxford was chairman and former managing partner of Bracewell LLP; he became the firm's 13th partner in 1973. He served on The University of Texas System's Board of Regents, and as chairman of Greater Houston Partnership. Mr. Oxford was a board member of M.D. Anderson Outreach, Inc., the Texas Medical Center in Houston, and the Kinder Institute for Constitutional Democracy. He was a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas since 2004. Mr. Oxford's obituary can be read here.

Novelist and short story writer, Jane Roberts Wood of Argyle passed away on January 19, 2022. She held a master’s degree in English from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, and also studied at Yale university and the University of London.  Mrs. Wood's novels include the Lucy Richards Trilogy, Roseborough, and Grace. She was an English professor at Southern Methodist University and taught English at Mountain View College and Brookhaven College in the Dallas County Community College District.  Ms. Wood was a National Endowment of the Arts Fellow and a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow. Her short story “My Mother Had a Maid” won the Texas Institute of Letters Short Story Award in 1998. She was inducted into the Society in 2006. Mrs. Wood's obituary can be read here.

Dr. Hans Mark of Austin passed away on December 18, 2021. Dr. Mark was a longtime professor of aerospace engineering at The University of Texas and served as chancellor of The University of Texas System from 1984 to 1992.  He worked in Mission Control during the first moon landing and went on to serve as secretary of the Air Force, deputy administrator of NASA, and director of Defense Research and Engineering at the Pentagon. Hans Mark was a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas since 1984. An article about his passing can be read here in the UT News. 

Ms. Joyce Pat Capper of Fort Worth, born in 1932, passed away January 4th. Mrs. Capper enjoyed many honors and was a tireless volunteer and philanthropist in the Fort Worth community. She served as president of the Fort Worth Garden and the Jewel Charity Ball, served on many boards including the Texas Girls Choir and the Fort Worth Historical Society, and was a member of the Junior League. In 1974 she received the Fort Worth Woman of the Year Award. She was appointed Honorary Consul to Luxembourg and received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Texas Wesleyan University. Mrs. Capper's obituary can be read here.

University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) President Emerita Dr. Diana Natalicio of El Paso, Texas passed away September 23, 2021. Natalicio was the longest-serving president of UTEP, leading the university for 31 years, and was the university's first female president. She first came to UTEP in 1971 as a professor of linguistics. She served as vice president for Academic Affairs, dean of Liberal Arts, and chair of Modern Languages before being named president in 1988. Natalicio was inducted into the 1998–99 class of the Texas Women's Hall of Fame and was awarded the Harold W. McGraw, Jr., Prize in Education. In 2011, the Mexican government recognized Natalicio with the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest award given to non-Mexicans. An article about Dr. Natalicio appeared in the Dallas Morning News. 

Physicist and astronomer Dr. Steven Weinberg of Austin, Texas passed away July 23, 2021. Weinberg won the Nobel Prize in 1979 in Physics and has been called the father of effective field theory. He was the author of several popular books on science including The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe, about the evolution of the universe in the first three minutes after the Big Bang. Weinberg moved to the University of Texas in 1980 from Harvard University. He was the Josey-Welch Foundation Chair in Science and Regental Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He was a member of the Society since 1987. Articles about Dr. Weinberg appeared in the New York Times and the Austin American-Statesman. 

Robert S. Capper passed away June 21, 2021. After serving for ten years in the Army, Capper became a preeminent cardiologist, performing the first balloon angioplasty in the region. He was president of the Fort Worth Chapter of the American Heart Association; chairman of Harris Methodist Health Foundation; and volunteer at JPS and the Southwestern Medical School/Parkland clinic. Dr. Capper was inducted into the Society in 2006. His obituary can be read here.

Edward Randall Hudson Jr. of Fort Worth passed away June 23, 2021. Though Hudson earned a J. D. from Harvard Law School, he worked his entire life as an oilman. In 1960, he joined his father and uncle at Hudson & Hudson, an independent oil production company focused on southeastern New Mexico. In 1987, Hudson and others formed Javelina Partners. He was also a renowned collector of contemporary art and Mexican folk art masks and served on the boards of many museums. Mr. Hudson had been a member of the Society since 2002. His obituary can be read here. 

Broadus A. Spivey of Austin passed away May 8, 2021. Mr. Spivey was a trial lawyer with 57 years of practice. He was State Bar of Texas President, 2001-2002 and Texas Trial Lawyers Association President, 1981-1982. Spivey authored and delivered more than 300 speeches over his career and received numerous awards, including Texas Legal Legend, State Bar of Texas (2014) and the War Horse Award, Southern Trial Lawyers Association (2010). He had been a member of the Society since 2000. Mr. Spivey's obituary can be read here. 

The Society's oldest member, Lloyd P. Lochridge Jr. of Austin, passed away at the age of 103 on April 13, 2021. Mr. Lochridge graduated Harvard Law School in 1941 and served as a Lieutenant Commander during World War II. He began his law practice above a grocery store in Mission, Texas, but eventually moved to Austin in 1959 when friend Robert McGinnis invited Mr. Lochridge to join the firm that would become McGinnis Lochridge. He was Texas State Bar President in 1974-75 and was inducted into the Society in 1993. Mr. Lochridge's obituary can be read here.

Frank W. Calhoun of Austin passed away April 24th, 2021. Mr. Calhoun was an attorney and served eight years as State Representative from Abilene from 1967 to 1975. Calhoun served in board or trustee positions with the San Jacinto Historical Advisory Board, Institute of Texan Cultures, Texas Historical Foundation, San Jacinto Museum of History, and the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at The University of Texas. He was a member of the Society since 2012. Mr. Calhoun's obituary can be read here. 

Jenny Lind Porter-Scott of Austin passed away on June 27, 2020. Mrs. Porter-Scott was inducted into the Philosophical Society in 1976 and was a member for 44 years. She was the professor of English at West Texas State University from 1959-1961, published numerous poems and books, was former Poet Laureate of Texas, and was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 1985. Mrs. Porter-Scott is buried in the Texas State Cemetery and her obituary can be read on their site here.

Phillip Ray Martinez of El Paso passed away on February 26, 2021. He was a member of the Philosophical Society since 2003. Martinez was a United States District Judge, Western District of Texas; former judge of the 327th District Court; and member of the American Law Institute. He was a former board member with the El Paso Legal Assistance Society, El Paso Holocaust Museum, El Paso Cancer Treatment Center, and Hispanic Leadership Institute. Judge Martinez was an attorney in private practice in El Paso from 1982 to 1990. An article in El Paso Matters about his passing can be seen here.

James M. Hoggard of Wichita Falls passed away on February 23, 2021. Hoggard was an author, poet, and playwright who had a long and distinguished writing and teaching career. Most notably, he was Texas' State Poet Laureate in 2000; Perkins-Prothro Distinguished Professor of English, Midwestern State University; he headed the Midwestern State University Press for 29 years, and was former President of the Texas Institute of Letters. His obituary is posted on Legacy.com.

The Society has been notified that member Ann B. Brinkerhoff of Houston passed away on December 24, 2020. Ms. Brinkerhoff was a philanthropist and civic leader. She and her husband "Brink" were instrumental in opening the current location of Houston's Museum of Natural Science on Hermann Park Drive in 1968. She was a member of the HMNS Guild and served as a member of the HMNS Board of Trustees for over 50 years. She also served on the boards of the UT Hogg Foundation for Mental Health and the UT Medical Branch in Galveston. Ms. Brinkerhoff was inducted into the Philosophical Society in 1984. Her obituary from The Houston Chronicle can be seen here.

The Honorable Thomas M. Reavley of Houston passed away December 1st at the age of 99.  Reavley was the oldest active federal judge; he served for 41 years on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Reavley was a veteran (U.S. Navy), and graduated from The University of Texas (1942) and Harvard (1948).  He also served as Texas’ secretary of state, the Nacogdoches County attorney, and a Texas Supreme Court justice. An article about Judge Reavley from The Washington Post can be seen here.

Edward Randall of Houston passed away on November 15, 2020. Mr. Randall was a veteran (United States Marine Corps from 1944-1946) and a graduate of The University of Texas (1948).  He joined the investment banking firm of Rotan, Mosle and Moreland in 1948 and spent the next 40 years there or with its successors, being the chief executive officer for the last 17 years. He also served on the boards of numerous public companies and was active as a board member or trustee of many civic organizations related to arts, health, and The University of Texas, among others.

Mr. Randall was inducted into the Philosophical Society in 1971 and would have celebrated 50 years as a member next year. He is the brother of member Risher Randall, Sr. and uncle to member Risher Randall, Jr. His obituary from The Houston Chronicle can be seen here.

Gerald D. Hines of Houston, who recently celebrated his 95th birthday, passed away at his home on August 23rd. Mr. Hines was the founder (in 1957) and chairman of the international real estate firm Hines. The College of Architecture and Design at the University of Houston is named in his honor. He was also co-owner of the Aspen Ski Company, skiing into his 90s. Mr. Hines was a Society member since 1995. His obituary in The New York Times can be seen here.

Paula M. Mosle of Dallas, a member since 2001, contributed both her time and financial resources to innumerable institutions throughout her life. She was a life trustee and chairman of the Hockaday School; dean of women, Rice University; governor and trustee advisor, Rice University; past President of the Junior League of Dallas; and trustee of The St. Michael Foundation. Mrs. Mosle passed away August 28th and her obituary is posted here.

William C. Gruben of Dallas passed away on March 17, 2020. Dr. Gruben was inducted into the Society in 2006. He was an economist who spent the better part of his career at The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, co-created The Center for Latin American Economics there, and from 2008-2014, was Director of the Ph.D. Program in International Business at Texas A&M International University's A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business. He also, along with his brother, wrote, produced, and hosted a 30 minute comedy show on KCHU in the 1970s called "Dallas Arcade."  His obituary is posted here.

Robert H. Rutford, former president of The University of Texas at Dallas, died December 1, 2019 at the age of 86. Rutford served as president of UT Dallas from 1982 to 1994. Rutford’s research interests were in the fields of glacial geology and geomorphology. In 1975 he became the director of the Division of Polar Programs for the National Science Foundation. He embarked on more than two dozen treks to Antarctica. Mount Rutford, located in the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica, is named for him. His obituary can be read here.

Ronald K. Calgaard of San Antonio passed away on April 10, 2020 at the age of 82. Dr. Calgaard was President Emeritus of Trinity University in San Antonio, chairman and trustee of the Ray Ellison Grandchildren Trust, former Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Kansas. Calgaard's twenty-year presidential tenure at Trinity was the longest in the university's history. His obituary is posted here.

John Martin ("Marty") Davis, Jr. of Dallas passed away on December 7th, 2019 at the age of 74. Mr. Davis was a lawyer, CPA, veteran, and philanthropist. He authored or co-authored five books, compiled an extensive Texas map collection donated to the Museum of the Big Bend, and generously supported the arts and humane organizations. His obituary is posted on Dignity Memorial.

John House Duncan, Sr. of Houston passed away on January 12, 2020 at the age of 91. Mr. Duncan was a native Houstonian, Korean War veteran, business leader, and philanthropist. He cofounded Gulf & Western Industries and Gulf Consolidated Services. Duncan was inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame and awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Southwestern University. His obituary is posted on Legacy.com.

Roger S. Horchow of Dallas passed away on May 2, 2020 at the age of 91, A Yale Graduate (1950), he served in the Korean War as 1st Lt. in the Army Security Agency. In 1971, Horchow founded The Horchow Collection, the first luxury mail-order catalog without a bricks-and-mortar presence. He sold The Horchow Collection to the Neiman Marcus Group, which provided the seed funds for his next career as a Broadway producer, for which he won two Tony Awards. His obituary is posted on Legacy.com.

John Samuel Winters of Austin passed away on August 29^th, 2019 at the age of 97. He was a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas since 1975. Mr. Winters was a decorated veteran, an attorney, a family man, and a distinguished civil and community servant. He was named partner of the Austin law firm Clark, Thomas & Winters and served as President of the Travis County Bar Association (now the Austin Bar Association). His obituary is posted on Dignity Memorial.

Joseph “Joe” Tortorice, Jr. of Beaumont passed away on August 10^th, 2019. He was a member since 2014. The Beaumont Enterprise carried an article about Mr. Tortorice, the founder of the national restaurant brand, Jason’s Deli, who was also a philanthropist and civic leader.  His obituary is posted on Broussard Mortuary's website.

Lonn W. Taylor of Fort Davis passed away on June 26, 2019. The prolific writer and historian was the curator for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History for 20 years before his retirement. Texas Monthly posted an article about the "Rambling Boy," the byline used for the articles he penned for the Big Bend Sentinel. Marfa Public Radio also carried news about him.and broadcast a program about him following his death. Texas Highways magazine's 2018 article reveals much about the historian's early years. 

Robert Allan "Bud" Shivers, Jr. of Austin passed away on January 8, 2019. The businessman, investor, and son of Gov. Allan Shivers was heavily involved in Texas philanthropy, especially in Austin. He served on the boards of the Headliners Foundation of Texas, the Texas Association of Taxpayers and the Institute for Rehabilitation and Research. His wife Robin preceded him in death in 2009. He may have been best know for his courage, fortitude and grace in being confined to a wheelchair as the result of an accident since he was a very young man. The Austin American Statesman carried an article about him and also his obituary.

Herb Kelleher of Dallas passed away on January 3rd. He became a member in 2009. In April 1989 Texas Monthly featured a cover article about the entrepreneur. Harvard Business Review published a memorial. The Washington Post also carried an article. The Dallas Morning News published a commentary and his obituary is on Legacy.com.

John Mendelsohn of Houston passed away on January 7th. He was a member since 2008. The Houston Chronicle carried an article about the former president who led the MD Anderson Cancer Center in becoming the nation’s top cancer hospital and research center.  M.D. Anderson published a tribute to the president emeritus.

A. Baker Duncan of  San Antonio passed away on January 16th. He was a member since 1985 and served as president of the Society in 2000. The San Antonio Express carried an obituary about the philanthropist and civic leader with projects throughout Texas and who was also chairman and founder of Duncan-Smith.

William C. Powers, Jr., of Austin passed away on March 10, 2019. He was a member since 2003. The attorney, academic, and university administrator served 2006-2015 as the 28th president of the University of Texas at Austin, becoming the second-longest serving president in the university's history. He held the Hines H. Baker and Thelma Kelley Baker Chair at the University of Texas School of Law and served as Dean of the Law School from 2000 until becoming the University President. Among other accomplishments, he completed funding that helped establish the University's Dell Medical School. The New York Times published an article about him and the Washington Post carried news about his passing. The University of Texas President Greg Fenves wrote a tribute about President Powers. The University held a public memorial for him on April 12, 2019,  and the university tower was lit that evening to display "BP" in his honor.

Joaquin G. Cigarroa, Jr.,  of Laredo passed away on March 20, 2019. He had been a member since 1994. The trailblazing doctor served the Laredo area for more than six decades. His honors include Laredo Times Man of the Year 1992 and 1994, LULAC's Life Achievement Laureate 1996, Humanitarian of the Year, and Make a Wish Foundation 1999. In 2002, the University of Texas named him a distinguished alumnus. Cigarroa also served 12 years on the Coordinating Board of Texas Colleges and Universities, where he helped bring Texas A&M International University to Laredo. The Laredo Morning Times' article gives more information and his family has posted a tribute to him.

William D. Wittliff of Austin passed away on June 9, 2019. He had been a member since 1973. The writer, filmmaker, and photographer was elected to the Texas Institute of Letters at the age of 29. He and his wife, Dr. Sally Wittliff, co-founded the Southwestern Writers Collection at Texas State University in 1986. The Austin American Statesman carried an article about him that includes a video. The Dallas Morning News also posted an article about him. News of his passing appeared in the New York Times and the Washington Post through an AP wire service story. A memorial service will be held at a later date.