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.
JOHN N. BARNHART
Barnhart, 90, of Berclair, died
February 23, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of
Texas School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1948. Barnhart,
who practiced civil trial law, was a solo practitioner in Beeville from
1949 to 1963 and served in the Texas Legislature during the 1950s. He
was then an associate and partner in Mandell & Wright in Houston, a
partner in Barnhart & Luther in Houston, a partner in Barnhart
Mallia & Cochran in Houston, and a mediator with John N. Barnhart in
Houston. He was licensed to practice in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of Texas, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the
U.S. Supreme Court. Barnhart is remembered as a champion of defending
civil rights and for his love of sailing and raising miniature donkeys.
He is survived by his son, Joseph; daughters, Claire Barnhart and Gina
Hardin; sister, Anne DeLoach; three grandchildren; and one
great-grandchild.
ALVIN N. SÁENZ
Sáenz, 52, of League City, died December
5, 2015. He received his law degree from Texas Southern University
Thurgood Marshall School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in
1993. Sáenz was the owner of the Law Office of Alvin N. Sáenz from 1993
to 2015. He is remembered for his sense of public service, analytical
skills, and love for cycling. Sáenz is survived by his wife of 23 years,
Linda; sons, Dawsen and Logen; father, Jose Sr.; brothers, Jose Jr. and
Jose Suazo; and sister, Lorena Matherne.
KEMPER SAM WILLIAMS JR.
Williams, 83, of Victoria, died
April 30, 2015. He served as a captain in the U.S. Army during the
Korean War, followed by many years in the Army Reserve. Williams
received his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law and was
admitted to the Texas Bar in 1958. He actively practiced law for almost
60 years, and the Victoria County Bar Association bestowed on him its
highest honor—the Legacy Award—in 2012. Williams was mayor of Victoria
from 1963 to 1973 and was president of the Texas Municipal League for
several terms. He also had a popular radio show on AM 1340 in the 1990s.
Williams is survived by his daughters, Cecilia Allison, Mary Tinsley,
and Jane Newton; son, attorney Kemper III; 15 grandchildren; and 16
great-grandchildren.
LEWIS BAYNE SLAGLE
Slagle, 94, of Pflugerville, died May
16, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of Oklahoma
College of Law, was a member of the Oklahoma Bar, and was admitted to
the Texas Bar in 1958. Slagle practiced law in Frederick, Oklahoma, from
1948 to 1957 and then moved to Texas and practiced in Brownwood from
1958 to 1988. He served on many civic boards and was chairman of the
Brown County Democratic Party. Slagle is remembered for his love of
golfing, playing bridge, and telling stories with a sense of humor. He
is survived by his wife of 68 years, Cam; sons, Steve and Jim; daughter,
Zan Caperton; and brothers, Gene and Bill.
G. WELLINGTON SMITH
Smith, 74, of Austin, died May 25,
2016. He received his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of
Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1969. Smith was associate
general counsel to Aristar Inc. in Miami, Florida, from 1969 to 1975; a
solo practitioner focusing on immigration law from 1975 to 2016; and a
partner in Buzgova, Meneses, & Wellington Smith from 2015 to 2016.
He is remembered for his love of dogs, golfing, and spending time with
family and friends. Smith is survived by his son, attorney Forrest, and
daughter, Kelley.
JOEL H. PULLEN
Pullen, 83, of San Antonio, died August
23, 2015. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School
of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1955. Pullen was a partner
in Tinsman & Houser; managing partner in Davis, O’Conner &
Pullen; and founding partner in Pulman, Cappuccio, Pullen, Benson &
Jones from 2004 until retiring in 2009. Pullen received the State Bar of
Texas 50-year lawyer recognition, was a speaker for the State Bar and a
faculty member of the TexasBarCLE Advanced Civil Trial Course, and was a
speaker for UT law school. He is remembered as having been a widely
respected litigator, very involved in the local Jewish community, and
treasured by his family and friends, particularly his granddaughter
Hailey, who plans to attend UT law school. Pullen is survived by his
wife of 54 years, Reesa; sons, Forrest, Scott, and attorney Eric;
daughter, attorney Shari Pulman; and 11 grandchildren.
CHARLES WILLIAM SPENCER
Spencer, 81, of Dallas, died January
27, 2016. He served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1958, later received
his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, and was
admitted to the Texas Bar in 1964. Spencer was a partner in Geary,
Stahl, and Spencer from 1964 to 1991; owner of Charles W. Spencer,
Attorney at Law from 1991 to 2008; and owner of Charles W. Spencer &
Associates. He was one of the first Texas lawyers to be certified in
real estate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He received
the 2013 State Bar of Texas Real Estate, Probate & Trust Law
Section’s Lifetime Achievement Award and was a past chair and member of
the commercial real estate exam committee. Spencer enjoyed UT football
and Bible study. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carol; four
daughters; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
STEPHEN S. ASH
Ash, 69, of Phoenix, Arizona, died May
16, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School
of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1972. Ash served in the U.S.
Army from 1972 to 1986, reaching the rank of captain. He began his
career with the El Paso County District Attorney’s Office and also
practiced with the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C.,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Phoenix. Ash received the Albert
Gallatin Award, which is the Treasury’s highest award for career
service. He retired in 2005. Ash was a Ferrari Club of America member
for 40 years and also loved traveling the world and serving in the
Pennsylvania Reserves. He is survived by his sister, Kathy Ash
Hayden.
DONALD WEBB CANTWELL
Cantwell, 83, of Arlington, died May
11, 2014. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the mid-1950s. He then
received his law degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law
and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1962. Cantwell was active in the
Civil Air Patrol in the ’60s, both as legal counsel and as a pilot
flying search and rescue missions over Texas. He taught business law and
real estate for 43 years at the University of Texas at Arlington College
of Business, becoming a professor emeritus in 2002 when he retired. He
also co-authored Real Estate Principles: The Texas Supplement
(first and second editions), as well as numerous articles in academic
journals. Cantwell will be remembered for his laugh and smile, love of
meeting people and learning new things, and appreciation for the art of
a good debate. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Betty; brother,
Allen; children, Susan Seaman, William Cantwell, and Carol Braziel; and
seven grandchildren.
PAUL “DON” WILMARTH
Wilmarth, 67, of Dallas, died February
5, 2014. He received his law degree from Southern Methodist University
School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1970. Wilmarth was a
solo practitioner in Dallas from 1970 until his death and also was
associate house counsel to the American Heart Association from 2013
until his death. He was active in many civic organizations, including
the city of Dallas’s Permit and License Appeal Board, and will be
remembered as a true friend and for his love of hunting and fishing.
Wilmarth is survived by his brothers, Raymond Jr. and Scott, and sister,
Charlotte Gleiser.
EDWARD VISHNEVETSKY
Vishnevetsky, 34, of Dallas,
died June 20, 2016. He received his law degree from St. Louis University
School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2008. Vishnevetsky
was of counsel in the Dallas office of K&L Gates, where he
concentrated his practice on health care, representing hospitals,
physician groups, laboratories, and other entities in a wide variety of
regulatory, transactional, and controversy-related matters.
Vishnevetsky, who had received his master’s in health administration
summa cum laude, was a rising star in health law, being recognized with
numerous accolades for his work. He was an accomplished pianist and
international adventurer, who—just weeks before his death—had set up the
Vishnevetsky Family Scholarship Fund to help campers attend Union for
Reform Judaism Greene Family Camp. He could captivate a room with his
humor and charm and will be remembered as a doting uncle to Adam, Iris,
and Liana Grayson. Vishnevetsky is survived by his father, Leonid;
sister, Marina Grayson; stepmother, Marina Tverye; stepbrothers, Aaron
and Elliott Tverye; girlfriend, Jaycee Greenblatt; and other beloved
family members.
WILLIAM HODGE CRENSHAW JR.
Crenshaw, 79, of Buchanan Dam, died
January 15, 2016. A third-generation lawyer, Crenshaw studied the books
in his father’s law office, took the bar exam under the old rule
allowing for such law office study, and was admitted to the Texas Bar in
1965. He practiced both criminal and civil law in Lubbock until 1997 and
then practiced in the Hill Country until his illness in 2015. During his
career, he presented oral arguments before the Texas Supreme Court as
well as the Court of Criminal Appeals, including in Daniel Baker v.
Texas, where the CCA decided to hold the vagrancy statue
unconstitutional. Crenshaw is remembered as a “crusty old lawyer” who
had a heart of gold for children in child protective services and for
his love of animals and sports. He is survived by his wife, Nancy;
daughter, Keely; and three grandchildren.
ROBERT C. FERGUSON
Ferguson, 94, of Amarillo, died
March 29, 2016. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a cryptographer
during World War II. Ferguson then received his law degree from the
University of Texas School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in
1949. He practiced law in Sherman, Hartley, and Dallam counties, first
as assistant county attorney and later as county judge in Sherman County
until 1955, at which point he practiced with Floyd H. Richards in
Dalhart. Ferguson was a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, received the
State Bar of Texas 50-year lawyer recognition, and was a member of the
Christian Legal Society and its board of directors. He enjoyed farming,
travel, and his rewarding family relationships. He is survived by his
wife of 62 years, Barbara; daughters, Beth Carter and Susan Hurt; son,
Lee; sister, Betty Smith; eight grandchildren; and 10
great-grandchildren.
DAVID BOND BAXTER
Baxter, 65, of Dallas, died October 22,
2015. He received his law degree from Southern Methodist University
School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1975. Baxter was an
attorney with Ashley & Welch from 1975 to 1980; an attorney and
closer with Kramer White & Baxter and Plano Title from 1980 to 1985
and then with Kramer, White, Baxter & Blanshard from 1985 to 1989; a
real estate attorney with Tobolowsky Prager & Schlinger from 1989 to
1991; and a fee attorney at Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co. from
1991 to 2005, United Title of Texas from 2005 to 2007, Commerce Title
from 2007 to 2010, and Republic Title from 2010 to 2015. He enjoyed
golfing at the Dallas Country Club, being an assistant scoutmaster of
Troop 70 in University Park, and contributing to Vision Africa Radio.
Baxter is survived by his wife of 34 years, Barbara; sons, Richard and
James; daughter, Sarah; mother, Pauline; and three grandchildren.
GARY ALLEN KUIPER
Kuiper, 65, of Rockville, Maryland, died
June 14, 2016. Kuiper volunteered for the U.S. Army during the Vietnam
War and served in the infantry. He received his law degree from
Georgetown University Law Center and was admitted to the Texas Bar in
1989. Kuiper was a prison inspector in Houston and then worked for the
Resolution Trust Corp., followed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
in Washington, D.C., where he worked for more than 30 years. For
two-plus decades, he was a devoted member, elder of, and volunteer for
the Silver Spring Christian Reformed Church. Kuiper is remembered for
his ability to make friends with anyone he met and for his deep love for
his family. He is survived by his wife, Galena; sons, Michael, Boris,
Alexander, and David; brothers, Ed, Robert, and Rick; sisters, Cathy
Bennett and Betty Gesink; and three grandchildren.
ARTHUR M. SLOAN
Sloan, 84, of Belleair Bluffs, Florida,
died May 20, 2016. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956 and was
stationed for six months at a medical research lab and then one year at
the Japan Medical Depot. Sloan then received his law degree from Wayne
State University Law School, was a member of the Michigan Bar, and was
admitted to the Texas Bar in 1960. He was an examiner for the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office in Washington, D.C., from 1956 to 1957; a
legal adviser to the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior
from 1957 to 1959; general counsel to and patent attorney with Collins
Pipeline Construction Co. in Port Lavaca from 1959 to 1961; general
counsel to and legal and patent attorney of electronics and optics at
Varo Inc. in Garland from 1961 to 1965; and a private practitioner in
Dallas, initially partnering with Matt Garland, from 1965 until his
retirement in 2000. He also enjoyed growing roses for the Texas Rose
Research Foundation, hosting high school foreign exchange students and
placing graduate foreign students with host families, and volunteering
at theater performances and jazz festivals. Sloan is survived by his
wife of 62 years, Florence; sons, Lance, Greg, Brent, and Bradley; and
seven grandchildren.
WILLIAM T. HALL
Hall, 78, of Austin, died August 31,
2014. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School of
Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1967. He was the owner of
William T. Hall and Associates in Austin. Hall is survived by his wife,
Patricia; son, attorney Peter; daughters, attorney Kate Mai and Martha
Clay; sister, Sara; and eight grandchildren. TBJ
