Memorials
Submit a memorial at texasbar.com/memorials or call (512) 427-1830. For information on closing a deceased attorney’s practice, go to www.texasbarcle.com/materials/closingapractice.html.
William Marshall Elliott
Elliott, 90, of Houston, died August
3, 2016. He served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps in 1943 and the U.S. Army
from 1945 to 1946. Elliott received his law degree from the University
of Houston College of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1951. He
opened a law practice in Baytown, was elected to the Texas Legislature
in 1952 and served for three terms, was elected Harris County judge in
1958 and served until 1974, and was appointed judge of the 311th
District Court of Harris County by former Gov. Dolph Briscoe in 1975 and
served until his retirement in 1996. Elliott was honored as a
distinguished alumnus by the University of Houston and was director of
the National Association of County Officials. He is remembered for his
love of hunting, fishing, and being active in Tejas Vaqueros. Elliott is
survived by his wife of 65 years, Emilie Elliott; son, Michael Philip
Elliott; daughters, Aimie Elliott Jones and Elizabeth “Betsy” Elliott;
and eight grandchildren.
Henry
Gilchrist
Gilchrist, 92, of Dallas, died May
6, 2017. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. Gilchrist
received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law and
was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1950. He was a partner in Jenkens &
Gilchrist in Dallas from 1952 to 2007 and a partner in and of counsel to
Hunton & Williams in Dallas from 2007 until his retirement in 2016.
Gilchrist received an Outstanding 50-Year Lawyer Award from the Texas
Bar Foundation in 2010, the Aggie Lawyers of the Year Award in 2002, and
the Justinian Award from the Dallas Bar Association in 1995. He is
remembered for his integrity, humility, and generosity. Gilchrist is
survived by his son, Tom Gilchrist; daughter, Terri Plauche; and two
grandchildren.
Steve Hurt
Hurt, 82, of San Antonio, died
July 3, 2017. He received his law degree from Baylor Law School and was
admitted to the Texas Bar in 1957. Hurt was admitted before the U.S.
Supreme Court and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He practiced
law in Lubbock as an assistant city attorney and with the Texas Highway
Department until 1960. Hurt was county attorney of Hale County from 1961
to 1964, a partner in Cox & Hurt from the mid-1960s to the
mid-1980s, and a solo practitioner until his retirement to San Antonio
in 2008. He was a member and elder of First Presbyterian Church in
Plainview and a member of Northwood Presbyterian Church in San Antonio,
a member of the Plainview Lions Club, and participated in Democratic
Party politics in Hale County. He is survived by his wife of 62 years,
Betty Allen Hurt; sons, attorney David Hurt and Reagan Hurt; daughter,
Margaret Anderson; and sister, Lou Ann Madison.
Patricia L.
Makin
Makin, 62, of Houston, died June 28,
2017. She received her law degree from the University of Texas School of
Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1979. Makin was a private
practitioner in Houston from 1979 to 1980, an assistant district
attorney in Galveston from 1981 to 1982, a private practitioner from
1983 to 1988, and a senior attorney with U.S. Customs & Border
Protection in Houston from 1988 to 2017. She was awarded a secretary’s
certificate from former Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen in 1994
for recovering funds from bank failure. Makin is remembered for being an
ardent supporter and patron of the arts, a deeply spiritual person, and
a philanthropist at heart. She is survived by her brother, James R.
“Randy” Makin.
David P. Derber
Derber, 68, of Fort Worth, died June
17, 2017. He received his law degree from Southern Methodist University
School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1974. Derber
practiced real estate and finance law with Vinson & Elkins in
Houston from 1974 to 1983, Hughes and Luce in Dallas from 1983 to 1988,
and Kelly, Hart & Hallman in Fort Worth from 1988 to 2009. He served
on the State Bar of Texas Real Estate Forms Committee and the Texas
Association of Bank Counsel and was a frequent lecturer and writer for
continuing legal education programs. He is survived by his wife,
Christine Derber; son, Geoffrey Derber; daughter, Vicky Bass;
stepchildren, Jonathan, Joel, and Jamie Nesvadba; sister, Jeanne Derber;
brother, Dan Derber; and two grandchildren.
William L.
Barber
Barber, 68, of Houston, died
November 16, 2016. He was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1971
and then served in the inactive Reserve for eight years. Barber received
his law degree from Loyola Law School, was a member of the California
Bar, and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1999. He was a corporate
attorney with Calcomp in Fullerton, California, from 1980 to 1997; an
attorney with Oppel, Goldberg & Saenz in Houston from 1998 to 2000;
a private practitioner in Houston from 2000 to 2006; a professional
engineer of WorleyParsons in Houston from 2006 to 2014; and taught in
the Spring Branch Independent School District from 2014 to 2015. Barber
is remembered for his love of U.S. history, reading, and traveling. He
is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jayleene Barber; sons, Corey and
Evan Barber; daughter, Jenna Nicole Lin; and sister, Mary Crider.
Louis A. Pérez Jr.
Pérez, 73, of San Angelo, died July 5,
2017. He received his law degree from Texas Tech University School of
Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1973. Pérez was a solo
practitioner for more than 40 years in San Angelo. He was general
counsel to the League of United Latin American Citizens and the American
G.I. Forum and a founding owner and president of La Unica Broadcasting
Corporation. Pérez is remembered for becoming one of the first
Mexican-American students to graduate from Texas Tech University School
of Law, being one of the first Mexican-Americans to practice law in the
San Angelo area, and being a driving force in citywide celebrations like
Fiesta Patrias at Fort Concho and Cinco de Mayo. He is survived by his
former wife, Alma S. Pérez; son, Louie Pérez; daughters, attorney
Marisol L. Pérez and Stephanie Minjarez; seven grandchildren; and one
great-grandchild.
Ira E. Tobolowsky
Tobolowsky, 68, of Dallas, died May 13,
2016. He received his law degree from Southern Methodist University
School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1971. Tobolowsky was
an associate of Tobolowsky, Schlinger & Blalock in Dallas from 1971
to 1980; a partner in the Law Offices of Ira E. Tobolowsky from 1980 to
1981; a partner in Tobolowsky & Friedman from 1981 to 1983; a
partner in the Law Offices of Ira E. Tobolowsky from 1983 to 1988; a
partner in Tobolowsky & Gerard from 1988 to 1990; and a partner in
Tobolowsky & Burk from 1990 to 2016. He is remembered for his
brilliant mind; his love of videography, especially filming and editing
family and his children’s sporting events; and for arguing before the
U.S. Supreme Court in 1981 against future Justice Samuel Alito.
Tobolowsky is survived by his wife of 40 years, Debbie S. Tobolowsky;
sons, Jonathan, Michael, and Zachary Tobolowsky; brother, George
Tobolowsky; and sisters, Myra Prescott and Donna Timm.
Jerry Lynn Hopson
Hopson, 86, of Austin, died May 23,
2017. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School of
Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1953. Hopson led private
practices in Point Comfort, Columbus, and Amarillo from 1953 to 1963 and
was corporate attorney, vice president, and secretary of Pioneer
Corporation of Amarillo from 1963 to 1986. He was a former director of
the Amarillo Bar Association. Hopson is remembered for his dedication to
his family and his love of travel and philanthropy. He is survived by
his wife of 13 years, Helen Hopson; daughters, Susan Ashley, Pollyanna
Hopson, and Carolyn Farris; and eight grandchildren.
Robert
M. Clark
Clark, 72, of Fairview, died July
4, 2017. He received his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of
Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1970. Clark was an attorney
with Hiersche, Hayward, Drakeley & Urbach and a solo practitioner.
He is remembered for his love of hunting, fishing, and family. Clark is
survived by his wife of 29 years, Frances M. Clark; son, Robert M. Clark
Jr.; daughters, Christin Clark DeWitt and Carrie Gillen; sister, Cathy
Hardy; and six grandchildren.
Frank G. Cox
Cox, 92, of Houston, died August
3, 2017. He served in the U.S. Army during his late teens and early 20s.
Cox received his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law and
was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1949. He was an attorney in Galveston
prior to working in Houston in Schlumberger’s human resources department
for 27 years before retiring. Cox is remembered for his legendary
memory, love of traveling the world, and spending time and talking with
family and friends. He is survived by his son, Robert Cox; five
grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.TBJ
