Adolph R. Hanslik
Encyclopedia
Adolph Rudolph Hanslik (March 22, 1917 - May 21, 2007) was a Lubbock
businessman and philanthropist
known as the "dean of the West Texas
cotton
producers." Hanslik was among the first in the United States to export
cotton to Bangladesh
in Asia
. "He knew the cotton industry better than anyone I've ever known. . . . If there was a need, Adolph was there, and he had the financial means to back it up," said Don McInturff of the Texas Tech University
Medical Center Foundation of Lubbock.
in Lavaca County in southeastern Texas
and reared on the family farm
there. He entered World War II
with the 124th Army Signal Corps radio
intelligence unit. Thereafter, he was employed by the Otto Goedecke Cotton Company in Hallettsville as a cotton merchant apprentice.
In 1952, he moved to Corpus Christi
, the seat of Nueces County on the Texas Gulf Coast
, and launched his Adolph Hanslik Cotton Company. In 1954, he moved the company to Lubbock, where it became a successful exporter of Texas cotton abroad. He was active as president of his company until his death. The company, managed by his nephew
, Edward James Hanslik (born 1941) of Austin
, is now called Texas Cotton Marketing. Edward Hanslik recalled that his uncle
, on returning from the military, could find work only in hometown of Hallettsville at the Goedecke company. He soon mastered the business.
, State National Bank, Texas International Cotton School, Lubbock Chamber of Commerce
, All Saints Episcopal
School, Lubbock Board of City Development, Goodwill Industries
, Lubbock International Cultural Center, United Way, UMC Foundation, Lubbock Executive Club, Lubbock Lions Club, and the Texas Tech President's Council. His Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
obituary
indicates that Hanslik worked tirelessly to make Lubbock and west Texas a better place in which to live. His gift of $1.5 million to the Texas Tech Medical Center in 2006 was, thus far, the largest in the history of the institution. He was also a supporter of the Cotton Museum at the Memphis
Cotton Exchange.
Hanslik once attributed his generosity to the influence of his mother Mary: "She instilled in me, at an early age, the spirit of giving to those in need, whether by providing a meal, a ride to town, or anything else."
Hanslik received (1) the William Booth
Award from the Salvation Army in 1997, (2) the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen Award in 1999, and (3) the Lubbock Philanthropist Award in 1998. He was also a donor to Republican
candidates, having given among others to U.S. President George W. Bush
and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
.
. Survivors included his second wife, Jewell White "Judy" Hanslik (born 1922); a daughter Elizabeth H. Montalvo (born 1950) and her husband, Alfred E. Montalvo (born 1949), of San Antonio
; adopted son Joe Martin Hanslik (born 1957) and his wife Ladonna of Lubbock; stepdaughter, Ruami W. Stephenson and her husband Jimmy of Lubbock; nine grandchildren; four great grandchildren; a brother, Herman Hanslik and wife Palmae, and a sister, Adela Pohlof, all three of Hallettsville.
Hanslik was previously married to the former Juanita Copland (born 1927), later Juanita McClure of Lubbock. In a 1974 suit against the First National Bank
of Lubbock, Juanita McClure claimed that Hanslik had "taken advantage" of her financially so that she had to sue the bank, rather than him, for relief. Adolph and Juanita adopted Neal Norwood Hanslik (1946–2002), who was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
, and was a leading figure in the Lubbock theatre arts community.
Services were held on May 25, 2007, at St. Paul's (Episcopal) Church on the Plains in Lubbock, where Hanslik was a member. Interment was at Sacred Heart Catholic
Cemetery in Hallettsville. Elizabeth Montalvo said that her father was "definitely part of the greatest generation. He just had the integrity and values of that generation."
After his death, the Hanslik estate donated a matching $100,000 contribution to the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center's capital campaign for construction of a new library museum archives building. The museum is located at 250 Fair Grounds Road in La Grange
in Fayette County
in southeastern Texas.
In honor of Hanslik's gift to the University Medical Center, the hospital named the main lobby as the "Adolph Hanslik Lobby".
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
businessman and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
known as the "dean of the West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
producers." Hanslik was among the first in the United States to export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
cotton to Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. "He knew the cotton industry better than anyone I've ever known. . . . If there was a need, Adolph was there, and he had the financial means to back it up," said Don McInturff of the Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
Medical Center Foundation of Lubbock.
Early years, military, business
Hanslik was born to the late Frank Hanslik and Mary Magdalene Hanslik (1891–1973) in HallettsvilleHallettsville, Texas
Hallettsville is a city in Lavaca County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,345 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lavaca County. The town is home to the Texas Championship Domino Hall of Fame and also hosts a dominoes tournament every year in January...
in Lavaca County in southeastern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and reared on the family farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
there. He entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the 124th Army Signal Corps radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
intelligence unit. Thereafter, he was employed by the Otto Goedecke Cotton Company in Hallettsville as a cotton merchant apprentice.
In 1952, he moved to Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, the seat of Nueces County on the Texas Gulf Coast
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, and launched his Adolph Hanslik Cotton Company. In 1954, he moved the company to Lubbock, where it became a successful exporter of Texas cotton abroad. He was active as president of his company until his death. The company, managed by his nephew
Nephew
Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...
, Edward James Hanslik (born 1941) of Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, is now called Texas Cotton Marketing. Edward Hanslik recalled that his uncle
Uncle
An uncle is a type of familial relationship.Uncle may also refer to:* Uncle , by J. P. Martin* U.N.C.L.E., a fictional organization in the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E....
, on returning from the military, could find work only in hometown of Hallettsville at the Goedecke company. He soon mastered the business.
Civic affairs and philanthropy
Heavily involved in community affairs, Hanslik was a past president of the Texas Cotton Association, Lubbock Cotton Exchange, and the Lubbock Club. He also served on the boards of the American Cotton Shippers Association, Salvation ArmySalvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, State National Bank, Texas International Cotton School, Lubbock Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, All Saints Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
School, Lubbock Board of City Development, Goodwill Industries
Goodwill Industries
Goodwill Industries International is a not-for-profit organization that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have a disability, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges...
, Lubbock International Cultural Center, United Way, UMC Foundation, Lubbock Executive Club, Lubbock Lions Club, and the Texas Tech President's Council. His Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is a newspaper based in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. It is owned by the Morris Communications Company.-History:The Lubbock Avalanche was founded in 1900 by John James Dillard and Thad Tubbs. According to Dillard, the name "Avalanche" was chosen due to his desire that the...
obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
indicates that Hanslik worked tirelessly to make Lubbock and west Texas a better place in which to live. His gift of $1.5 million to the Texas Tech Medical Center in 2006 was, thus far, the largest in the history of the institution. He was also a supporter of the Cotton Museum at the Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
Cotton Exchange.
Hanslik once attributed his generosity to the influence of his mother Mary: "She instilled in me, at an early age, the spirit of giving to those in need, whether by providing a meal, a ride to town, or anything else."
Hanslik received (1) the William Booth
William Booth
William Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General...
Award from the Salvation Army in 1997, (2) the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen Award in 1999, and (3) the Lubbock Philanthropist Award in 1998. He was also a donor to Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidates, having given among others to U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S....
.
Death and legacy
Hanslik died at the age of ninety after a long battle against deadly Parkinson's diseaseParkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. Survivors included his second wife, Jewell White "Judy" Hanslik (born 1922); a daughter Elizabeth H. Montalvo (born 1950) and her husband, Alfred E. Montalvo (born 1949), of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
; adopted son Joe Martin Hanslik (born 1957) and his wife Ladonna of Lubbock; stepdaughter, Ruami W. Stephenson and her husband Jimmy of Lubbock; nine grandchildren; four great grandchildren; a brother, Herman Hanslik and wife Palmae, and a sister, Adela Pohlof, all three of Hallettsville.
Hanslik was previously married to the former Juanita Copland (born 1927), later Juanita McClure of Lubbock. In a 1974 suit against the First National Bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
of Lubbock, Juanita McClure claimed that Hanslik had "taken advantage" of her financially so that she had to sue the bank, rather than him, for relief. Adolph and Juanita adopted Neal Norwood Hanslik (1946–2002), who was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, and was a leading figure in the Lubbock theatre arts community.
Services were held on May 25, 2007, at St. Paul's (Episcopal) Church on the Plains in Lubbock, where Hanslik was a member. Interment was at Sacred Heart Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Cemetery in Hallettsville. Elizabeth Montalvo said that her father was "definitely part of the greatest generation. He just had the integrity and values of that generation."
After his death, the Hanslik estate donated a matching $100,000 contribution to the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center's capital campaign for construction of a new library museum archives building. The museum is located at 250 Fair Grounds Road in La Grange
La Grange, Texas
La Grange is a city in Fayette County, Texas, near the Colorado River. The population was 4,478 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimated population was 4,645. But a 2010 census estimated that the city had a population of 4,923...
in Fayette County
Fayette County, Texas
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 21,804. Its county seat is La Grange. Fayette is named for the Marquis de la Fayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero...
in southeastern Texas.
In honor of Hanslik's gift to the University Medical Center, the hospital named the main lobby as the "Adolph Hanslik Lobby".