TITLE: In memory of former State Representative D. R. "Tom" Uher of Bay City.

SUMMARY: In memory of former State Representative D. R. "Tom" Uher of Bay City.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a much-admired lawmaker and a friend to many with the death of former House Speaker Pro Tempore D. R. "Tom" Uher of Bay City on March 9, 2019, at the age of 81; and WHEREAS, The son of Alfonso A. Uher and May Bittick Uher, Tom Uher was born in Bay City in 1937, and he grew up with the companionship of three siblings, Doris, LaVerne, and Myrna; he attended The University of Texas, earning a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1960 and a doctor of jurisprudence in 1962; he went on to establish his own law practice in Bay City and continued to serve his clients for 55 years; and WHEREAS, In 1967, Representative Uher won a special election to the House on his 30th birthday, December 16; his constituents in Matagorda, Wharton, and Brazoria Counties would reelect him 17 times, and he served as speaker pro tempore from the 73rd through 77th Legislatures; over the course of more than three decades in office, he chaired a number of committees, among them State Affairs and Redistricting, and he served on many others as well, such as the Public Education, Higher Education, and Ways and Means Committees; he was instrumental in the passage of Senate Bill 438, which excepted the expansion of Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium from the Capitol view corridor guidelines, and he also took special pride in the passage of a bill he authored that granted MD Anderson Cancer Center patients access to care without referrals; and WHEREAS, Charming and collegial, Representative Uher earned the affection of all his colleagues; he commonly ended conversations by calling others "a great American," and he himself became fondly known as "the Great American"; he left the legislature in 2003 as the dean of the house, and he continued to share his wisdom and experience as a mentor to his friends and fellow elected officials; when not working, he enjoyed spending time outdoors, coaching Little League, teaching Bible study at the First Presbyterian Church, and watching football, especially his beloved Longhorns; and WHEREAS, Representative Uher shared a rewarding marriage of more than five and a half decades with his wife, Ann Hagaman Uher, and they were blessed with two daughters, Christi Joe and Catherine Ann, and a son, Robert, as well as two grandsons, Christopher Joseph and Noah Carl Uher; and WHEREAS, Through his steadfast dedication to public service, Tom Uher made a lasting, positive impact in the lives of innumerable Texans, and his contributions will be remembered for years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable D. R. "Tom" Uher and extend sincere condolences to the many people in Texas and beyond whose lives he forever enriched; 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 Tom Uher. Morrison Phelan Guerra Murr Allen Guillen Neave Criado Allison Harless Noble Anch a Harris of Anderson Oliverson Anderson Harris of Williamson Ordaz Ashby Harrison Orr Bailes Hayes Ortega Bell of Kaufman Hefner Patterson Bell of Montgomery Hernandez Paul Bernal Herrero Perez Bhojani Hinojosa Plesa Bonnen Holland Price Bowers Howard Ramos Bryant Hull Raney Buckley Hunter Raymond Bucy Isaac Reynolds Bumgarner Jetton Rogers Burns Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burrows A. Johnson of Harris Rose Button J. Johnson of Harris Rosenthal Cain Jones of Dallas Schaefer Campos Jones of Harris Schatzline Canales Kacal Schofield Capriglione King of Hemphill Shaheen Clardy King of Uvalde Sherman, Sr. Cole Kitzman Shine Collier Klick Slaton Cook Kuempel Slawson Cortez Lalani Smith Craddick Lambert Smithee Cunningham Landgraf Spiller Darby Leach Stucky Davis Leo-Wilson Swanson Dean Longoria Talarico DeAyala Lopez of Bexar Tepper Dorazio Lopez of Cameron Thierry Dutton Lozano Thimesch Flores Lujan Thompson of Brazoria Frank Manuel Thompson of Harris Frazier Martinez Tinderholt Gamez Martinez Fischer Toth Garcia Metcalf Troxclair Gates Meyer Turner Gerdes Meza VanDeaver Geren Moody Vasut Gervin-Hawkins Morales of Harris Vo Goldman Morales of Maverick Walle Gonz lez of Dallas Morales Shaw Wilson Gonz lez of El Paso Morrison Wu Goodwin Mu oz, Jr. Zwiener Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 89 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on February 7, 2023. Chief Clerk of the House