In memory of George William Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake of Houston.

89(R) HR 672 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

H.R. No. 672

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Family and friends were deeply saddened by the

deaths of former Texas secretary of state George William Strake Jr.

and his wife, Annette DeWalch Strake; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Strake passed away on February 9, 2024, at the

age of 88; the son of George William Strake Sr. and Susan Kehoe

Strake, George Strake was born in Houston on June 10, 1935; he was

an honor roll student at St. Thomas High School and went on to

become president of his class at the University of Notre Dame; after

completing his bachelor's degree in economics, he served two years

as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy and earned an MBA from

Harvard University; he followed in his father's footsteps,

embarking on a noteworthy career in the oil business, and rose to

become chair and CEO of Strake Energy, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Strake was preceded in death by his wife on

November 16, 2023, when she was 86; born in Houston on June 20,

1937, the former Annette DeWalch was the daughter of Frank Anthony

DeWalch and Gladys King DeWalch, and she grew up with two brothers,

Donald and Robert; after graduating from St. Agnes Academy, she

attended the University of St. Thomas; and

WHEREAS, George and Annette Strake were joined in matrimony

on January 10, 1959, in a ceremony conducted at St. Anne Catholic

Church; through the years, they were blessed with six children,

George, Stephen, Michele, Melanie, Gregory, and Melissa, as well as

17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; they also welcomed a

host of friends into their home, especially at holidays and for

Mrs. Strake's famous
Dancing with the Stars
parties; and

WHEREAS, In 1961, Mr. Strake became involved in state and

national politics; he was appointed Texas secretary of state in

1979 and served as chair of the Republican Party of Texas from 1983

to 1988; subsequently, he was named to the Texas Task Force on

Public Education; he further served his fellow citizens as a member

of the boards of numerous civic and charitable organizations, among

them the Rotary Club of Houston, Boy Scouts of America, the Albert &

Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, the San Jacinto Museum and

Battlefield, and the "C" Club of Houston, of which he was a founding

member; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Strake was the recipient of myriad accolades,

and he took special pride in his selection as one of Community

Partners' "Fathers of the Year"; in 1993, he and his wife were

recognized as "Houstonians of the Year" by The Center for Hearing

and Speech; and

WHEREAS, Faithful parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel

Catholic Church, Mr. and Mrs. Strake supported Catholic education

through the Strake Foundation, which has provided capital and

programmatic support for initiatives at Mrs. Strake's alma mater,

the University of St. Thomas; Mr. Strake served on its board, and he

received an honorary doctorate; in addition, he was a longtime

benefactor of the University of Notre Dame, and he worked to advance

its mission as a Catholic institution and served on the College of

Arts and Letters Advisory Council; Mrs. Strake served on the boards

of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women and St. Agnes Academy; in

addition, she volunteered extensively and benefited her community

in numerous leadership roles, including as a member of the boards of

the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center and the Barbara Bush Houston

Literacy Foundation; the Strakes were loyal supporters of the

foundation's annual A Celebration of Reading event; proud of her

Italian heritage, she was also a member of the Donne di Domani club;

and

WHEREAS, George and Annette Strake inspired innumerable

people through their great devotion to each other, as well as

through their wide-ranging civic contributions, and they are

remembered with tremendous admiration and affection by all who were

privileged to know them; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas

Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of George William

Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake and extend sincere

condolences to all who mourn their passing; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

prepared for their family and that when the Texas House of

Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of George

William Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake.

DeAyala

______________________________

Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 672 was unanimously adopted by a

rising vote of the House on June 1, 2025.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House