TITLE: In memory of Jack S. Blanton of Houston.

SUMMARY: In memory of Jack S. Blanton of Houston.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Jack Sawtelle Blanton, a prominent Houston oil executive and philanthropist, passed away on December 28, 2013, at the age of 86; and WHEREAS, The son of Louise Wynn and William Neal Blanton, Jack Blanton was born on December 7, 1927, in Shreveport, Louisiana; when he was two, the family moved to Houston, where he graduated from Lamar High School; he went on to attend The University of Texas and received a degree in history in 1947 and a bachelor of laws degree three years later; while at UT, he competed in tennis, and the sport proved to be a lifelong passion for him; and WHEREAS, Mr. Blanton began working for the Scurlock Oil Company in 1950 and quickly rose through the ranks to become head of the company in 1958; he held the office of president and CEO for a quarter-century and subsequently served Scurlock as chair before retiring in 1988; and WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Mr. Blanton was dedicated to the city of Houston and served on the boards of many businesses and institutions, including Texas Commerce Bank, Southwestern Bell Telephone, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Houston Methodist Hospital, where he was a life trustee; he also chaired the Greater Houston Partnership, a consortium of community-minded business leaders, and he devoted time and resources to a number of charitable groups, including the Scurlock Foundation, which he cofounded in 1954; from 1990 to 2003, he served as chair of the Houston Endowment, which contributes to a broad spectrum of programs in such areas as education, health care, and the arts, and over the course of his tenure, he shepherded the endowment's growth, from $400 million to more than $1 billion; and WHEREAS, Mr. Blanton also remained loyal to his alma mater, and he served on the UT Board of Regents for six years, including a two-year term as chair; in addition, he served as chair of the LBJ Foundation and as president of the Ex-Students' Association, and he was recognized with a Distinguished Alumnus and a Santa Rita Award, the highest accolade bestowed by the Board of Regents; the university paid special tribute to this esteemed benefactor with the naming of the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art in his honor in 1997; and WHEREAS, For five decades, Mr. Blanton enjoyed the love and support of his wife, Laura Lee Scurlock, and they were blessed with three children, Elizabeth, Jack, and Eddy; after Mrs. Blanton's passing, Mr. Blanton was fortunate enough to find love again and he married Cindy Davis; following her death, he met Ginger Renfroe at his church, St. Luke's United Methodist, and the couple married in 2002; over the course of more than a decade together, they shared a profound commitment to their family, their faith, and their community; and WHEREAS, Jack Blanton earned great respect and admiration for his business acumen and civic leadership, as well as for his generosity in sharing his success with institutions across the Lone Star State, and he leaves behind a legacy that will resonate long into the future; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature pay tribute to the memory of Jack Sawtelle Blanton and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Ginger Renfroe Blanton; to his children, Elizabeth Wareing and her husband, Peter, Jack S. Blanton Jr. and his wife, Leslie, and Eddy S. Blanton and his wife, Kelli; to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and to his many other relatives and friends; 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jack S. Blanton. Bohac Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2295 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 21, 2015. Chief Clerk of the House