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.
CLAUDE TRAWEEK ALLEN
Allen, 87, of Houston, died May 24,
2014. He served in the U.S. Navy, as an intelligence officer in the Navy
Reserve, and in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He received his law degree
from the University of Texas School of Law and was admitted to the Texas
Bar in 1949. He then was a lawyer with his father’s firm and for over 50
years continued to be a trial attorney and never turned down clients
because they couldn’t pay. He is remembered for his love of flying,
sailing, and hunting. Allen is survived by his wife of 62 years, Wilma;
sons, Claude Jr., Matthew, and Lee; brother, Ira Jr.; and four
grandchildren.
SANDERS LEE “SANDY” HARDIN
Hardin, 77, of Galveston, died January
1, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School
of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1963. Hardin was an attorney
with Dickson and Associates in Houston from 1963 to 1970, an attorney in
the lending department of Surety Savings Association in Houston from
1970 to 1975, an attorney and branch manager with Farm & Home
Savings Association in Houston from 1975 to 1985, an attorney in the
mortgage department of BankUnited in Houston from 1985 to 1990, and an
attorney and branch manager with First Capital Bank in Houston from 1992
to 2005. He will be remembered for his love of gardening, being active
with his church, and traveling. Hardin is survived by his partner of 43
years and husband of one year, Karl Lewis.
DENNIS NG
Ng, 65, of Houston, died April 29, 2016.
He was first a chemical engineer with Dow Chemical Co. and then received
his law degree from South Texas College of Law. Ng was admitted to the
Texas Bar in 1979 and then had a long legal career as an attorney for
Shell, Panhandle Eastern, and Duke Energy and then as a tax director for
Huntsman. He will be remembered as a modest and kind man who, as a boy,
immigrated with his family to the United States from China to excel
academically and professionally, as well as for his many lifelong
interests, including chess, history, and the outdoors. Ng is survived by
his wife of over 20 years, Sandy; sons, Denny, Austin, and Daniel;
daughters, Melinda and Julia; mother, Yut Ngar; brothers, Allen, Calvin,
and Brian; and sister, Millie.
LINWARD PAUL SHIVERS
Shivers, 85, of Austin, died April
6, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School
of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1954. Shivers was a partner
in the Law Firm of Leroy La Salle in Carthage from 1954 to 1957, an
assistant attorney general in Austin from 1957 to 1977, and a senior
attorney with the Office of General Counsel of the UT System in Austin
from 1977 to 1997. He is remembered as having been persistent, friendly,
and loyal. Shivers is survived by his wife of 56 years, Beverly; sons
attorney Marc and attorney David; daughter, Michele Santi; brother,
Roland; sister, Doris Clark; and five grandchildren.
MIKE WILLATT
Willatt, 81, of Austin, died May 3,
2016. He received his law degree from the University of Houston Law
Center and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1965. Willatt was an
associate of John Hill, Attorney in Houston from 1965 to 1970, the owner
of a solo practice in Houston from 1970 to 1973, an assistant attorney
general in Austin from 1973 to 1975, the owner of a solo practice in
Austin from 1975 to 1996, and a partner in Willatt & Flickinger in
Austin from 1996 to 2016. Willatt received the State Bar of Texas
50-year lawyer recognition. He also enjoyed golf and reading. Willatt is
survived by his wife of 30 years, Corinne Scalzitti; son, Christopher;
daughters, Karen Willatt, Allison Floyd, and Stephanie Willatt;
stepdaughter, Ruth Harris; and six grandchildren.
ROGER E. YARBRO
Yarbro, 70, of Cloudcroft, New Mexico,
died January 17, 2016. He received his law degree from South Texas
College of Law, was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1974, and also was a
member of the New Mexico Bar. Yarbro was an attorney with McCormick
& Forbes in Carlsbad, a partner in Marek & Yarbro in Carlsbad, a
partner in Marek, Yarbro & Carter in Las Cruces, and owner of Yarbro
& Associates in Las Cruces and then Cloudcroft. He is remembered for
his love of snow skiing, fine wines, music, and hiking in the mountains.
Yarbro is survived by his wife of 24 years, Shawna; daughters, Megan
Armijo, Kristin Tofani, and Brianna Jonnes; brother, Charles Sr.;
sister, Kaydene Stanley; and seven grandchildren.
STEPHEN BATES TATEM JR.
Tatem, 76, of El Paso, died June 16,
2016. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School of
Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1965. Tatem served in the U.S.
Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1966 to 1969, achieving the
rank of captain. He was a partner and then shareholder in Scott, Hulse,
Marshall & Feuille, now ScottHulse, in El Paso from 1969 until his
retirement in 2007. Tatem received the State Bar of Texas 50-year lawyer
recognition, was board-certified in civil trial and personal injury
trial law, and successfully argued the patent case Sakraida v. AG
Pro, Inc. before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976. Tatem will be
remembered for his lifelong love of learning, playing golf, and
volunteering for various civic and political organizations. He is
survived by his ex-wife Diane Wolf Tatem; sons, Stewart and attorney
David; and five grandchildren.
SISTER PATRICE SULLIVAN
Sullivan, 78, of San Antonio, died
May 29, 2016. After teaching science, helping prepare other women to
become sisters, and doing social outreach, Sullivan received her law
degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law. She was
admitted to the Texas Bar in 1984 and practiced family, immigrant, and
disability rights law—finding her passion in promoting peace and
justice. Sullivan served on the General Council of the Congregation of
Divine Providence from 1999 to 2005 and on the convent coordinating team
from 2010 until 2016. She is remembered as a warm, humorous, and
faith-filled woman, for her work with Pax Christi and the Texas
Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, and her love of special needs
animals, especially her dog and cat. Sullivan is survived by her
brothers, Daniel and Michael “Mick.”
HON. WILLIAM R. POWELL JR.
Powell, 89, of San Antonio, died
October 19, 2015. After high school he served in the U.S. Air Force in
France and Germany as a remote control gunner on B-29s. Powell later
received his law degree from South Texas College of Law and was admitted
to the Texas Bar in 1961. He practiced as a trial lawyer for 23 years in
Houston and then in 1984 was elected judge of the Harris County 80th
District Court, where he remained until retirement, becoming a senior
judge in 2011. Powell, who loved the law, received the State Bar of
Texas 50-year lawyer recognition. He enjoyed flying his plane and
playing golf with his wife and is remembered as a man of dry wit and
stern demeanor who also had a good heart that led him to take in a
rescue cat named Spot. Powell is survived by his wife of 18 years,
Luise; stepdaughter, Deborah Sagor; and sister, Peggy Gregory.
CHARLES WORTH RICHARDS
Richards, 79, of Austin, died April
10, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School
of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1965. Richards was an
attorney with Charles W. Richards in Austin from 1965 to 1983,
Allison-Walker Inc. in Houston from 1983 to 1988, Jim Day Construction
in Houston from 1988 to 1990, a private practice in Kingwood from 1990
to 1995, and the Texas Youth Commission in Austin from 1995 to 2000. He
then was director of real estate for the Texas General Land Office in
Austin from 2000 to 2015, having worked on the Alamo project when the
GLO was acquiring responsibility for overseeing the beloved Texas
landmark. Richards served two years on active duty in the U.S. Army and
20 years in the Army Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He is
remembered for his love of volunteering with his church, helping others
resolve their legal issues, and doing yard work. Richards is survived by
his wife of 37 years, Rev. Joy; son, Mark; daughter, Debbie Flemming;
stepson, Chandler Wiley; stepdaughters, Heather Evans and Robin Wiley;
brothers, Jim and Dan; sisters, Betty Douglass and Sharron Molloy; five
grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
JAMES E. HERGET
Herget, 81, of Kerrville, died April
27, 2016. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959 and
went on to receive his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of
Law and his doctorate in judicial science from the University of
Virginia School of Law. Herget was a member of the Illinois Bar and was
admitted to the Texas Bar in 1975. For 25 years, he was a professor of
law at the University of Houston Law Center, retiring as an emeritus
professor in 1998. During his career, Herget was twice a Fulbright
scholar, first from 1983 to 1984 at Hokkaido University in Sapporo,
Japan, and then from 1993 to 1994 at Heidelberg University in Germany.
He is remembered for his adolescent love of playing football and
entertaining audiences with magic tricks, both of which he wrote books
about in retirement: American Football: How the Game Evolved and
Women in Magic: The Pioneers. He also enjoyed playing chess. Herget
is survived by his wife of 57 years, Helen; sons, William and Charles;
daughters, Catherine Carter, Margaret Dawson, and Grace Capwell; 10
grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
KENNETH W. GIDEON
Gideon, 69, of McLean, Virginia, died
January 10, 2016. He received his law degree from Yale Law School and
was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1971. Gideon was a partner in Fulbright
& Jaworski in Houston from 1971 to 1981; chief counsel of the IRS
from 1981 to 1983; a partner in Fulbright & Jaworski in Washington,
D.C., from 1983 to 1986; a partner in Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver
& Jacobson in Washington from 1986 to 1989; assistant secretary for
tax policy at the Treasury Department from 1989 to 1992; a partner in
Wilmer Cutler and Pickering in Washington from 1992 to 2000; and a
partner in Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Washington from
2000 to 2016. He was the chairman of the American Bar Association
Section of Taxation in 2005 and on the ABA Board of Governors from 2012
to 2015. Gideon served three months in the U.S. Army. He is remembered
for his humble, hard-working, and congenial spirit. Gideon is survived
by his wife, Carol; sons, Christopher, Kevin, and Timothy; daughter,
Emily Yosmanovich; sister, RaDonna; and three grandchildren.
ROSS EDWIN FREEMAN
Freeman, 91, of Midland, died December
17, 2015. He served as a captain and company commander in the U.S. Army
from 1942 to 1946 and later received his law degree from Baylor Law
School. Freeman was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1950. He was a staff
attorney for Gulf Oil Corp. in Fort Worth from 1952 to 1956 and in
Midland from 1956 to 1983; a staff attorney with the Stubbeman Law Firm
in Midland from 1983 to 1985; and a staff attorney with Turpin, Smith,
Dyer and Saxe in Midland from 1983 to 1991. Freeman was president of the
Midland County Bar Association in 1973. He enjoyed serving on the
worship committee of First United Methodist Church of Midland for 37
years, working as a cubmaster with the Boy Scouts, and being an active
trophy and big game hunter. Freeman is survived by his wife of 73 years,
Marinelle; sons, Lanny, Dr. George Freeman, and Shawn; brother, Dr. Ray
Freeman; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
JOHN MARK GASCOIGNE
Gascoigne, 68, of Houston, died March
7, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of Houston Law
Center and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1973. Gascoigne had a
private law practice in Houston from 1973 to 2001 and then was a child
and adult protective services attorney for Region 4 of the Texas
Department of Family and Protective Services, later becoming a special
litigation attorney for 15 counties in Regions 4, 5, and 6 from 2001 to
2006. He then was an assistant county attorney for Harris County,
litigating CPS cases in the 246th District Court from 2006 to 2013.
Gascoigne is remembered for making an impact in children’s lives and for
his love of horseback riding and firearm competitions. He is survived by
his wife, attorney Neva Steelhammer; son, Sean; daughter, Michelle;
stepsons, Robert Steelhammer Jr. and David Steelhammer; sister, Tondi
Jean Rice; and four grandchildren.
HON. EDWARD S. JOHNSON
Johnson, 71, of Temple, died April
24, 2016. He received his law degree from Baylor Law School and was
admitted to the Texas Bar in 1969. Johnson had a civil and criminal law
practice in Temple from 1969 to 1979, during which time he served as
general counsel to First State Bank in Rogers, of counsel to Rogers
Independent School District, and city attorney of Rogers, all from 1974
to 1979. He then was an assistant district attorney of Bell and Lampasas
counties from 1979 to 1986, an adjunct professor at Central Texas
College from 1989 to 2006, and presiding judge of Bell County Court at
Law 1 from 1987 to 2014. Johnson was a fellow of the Texas Bar
Foundation and, from 1992 to 1994, was vice chairman of the County
Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas. He enjoyed hunting in
South Texas, fishing on the Texas coast, and spending time with family
and friends. Johnson is survived by his daughter, attorney and professor
Meredith Johnson Harbach; brother, Bill; sister, Robin Morgan; and two
grandchildren.
WINSTON RAY SMITH
Smith, 82, of Dallas, died April
16, 2016. He received his law degree from the University of Texas School
of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1960. Smith served in the
U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956. He spent his legal career from 1960 to 1993
as an attorney with the Underwood Law Firm in Amarillo, where he became
a partner. Smith was a member of the American College of Trust and
Estate Counsel and led the Amarillo Bar Association as its president in
1980-1981. Board-certified in estate planning and probate law, Smith was
highly respected by his partners, clients, and the young lawyers he
mentored. He will be remembered as an avid golfer, a colorful
storyteller, and a proud grandfather. Smith is survived by his wife of
62 years, Patsy; daughter Linda Smith Gavigan; sister Genelle Summers;
and two grandchildren.TBJ
