TITLE: In memory of R. Vic Mathias of Austin.

SUMMARY: In memory of R. Vic Mathias of Austin.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the citizens of Austin in mourning R. Vic Mathias, who died January 14, 2013, at the age of 86; and WHEREAS, Mr. Mathias was born on March 5, 1926, in Copperas Cove; he attended Texas Tech University and later earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from The University of Texas at Austin; and WHEREAS, Like many of America's Greatest Generation, Mr. Mathias joined the stream of young patriots who enlisted for service during World War II; and WHEREAS, As a combat infantryman bound for the Battle of the Bulge, he witnessed a Christmas Eve torpedo attack that claimed the lives of nearly 1,000 soldiers in his convoy; Mr. Mathias never forgot the experience, and many decades later, his steadfast commitment to supporting fellow veterans prompted him to organize the first Honor Flight Austin trip to Washington, D.C.; and WHEREAS, Mr. Mathias was a beloved businessman and key player in Austin's economic development from the 1950s onward; as chief executive officer of the Austin Chamber of Commerce for more than 25 years, he helped attract the first wave of high-tech companies to the area; and WHEREAS, His business acumen also led him to help create and operate such entrepreneurial entities as the Austin Economic Development Council, the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Leadership Austin; and WHEREAS, Mr. Mathias was also a leading light in community groups as diverse as the Rotary Club of Austin, the Austin Symphony, the Town Lake Study Committee, the Beautify Texas Council, and the Austin United Service Organization; and WHEREAS, A man of great faith, Mr. Mathias served as a president of Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Austin; he was equally devoted to his wife of 63 years, Helen Thoresen Mathias, and their children; his selflessness, wisdom, and counsel will long serve as an inspiration to others; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved family of R. Vic Mathias; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Vic Mathias. Watson President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 4, 2013, by a rising vote.