Buddy West
Encyclopedia
George E. "Buddy" West was a Republican
member of the Texas House of Representatives
from Odessa
, who was known for his staunch support of his hometown University of Texas of the Permian Basin
. West served nearly sixteen years as state representative from District 81, which now encompasses Ector, Andrews, and Winkler
counties, a tenure longer than anyone else in the history of the district. His term was scheduled to end on December 31, 2008.
, the seat of Runnels County in the west central portion of Texas
.
West moved to Odessa in 1944, when he was seven years of age. He graduated from Odessa High School
, attended the two-year Odessa College
and two Baptist
-affiliated institutions, Howard Payne University
in Brownwood
, and Hardin-Simmons University
in Abilene
. He received a Bachelor of Science
degree in business management from UT-Permian Basin, which opened in 1973. West was a member of the first UTPB graduating class; at the 25th anniversary ceremony, West said that he could not have completed his degree had UTPB not then come into being.
West worked for three decades for Amoco
as a corporate safety engineer
. Prior to his legislative elections, he was a trustee of the Ector County Independent School District, a nonpartisan
position.
Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
, which opened on the UTPB campus in Odessa in 2002-2003. The museum houses exhibits and information about American presidents. West once said that the museum was born in a time of tragedy – the assassination
in Dallas
of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
.
West lobbied for the funding of a performing arts center and a new student services building at UTPB. In 2007, he authored House Bill 2289, which would have given school police officers retirement and health insurance benefits under the state teacher retirement system. However, the legislative session ended without passage of the bill.
In 2003, West helped to gain appropriations for a new Odessa-Midland
National Guard Armory near the Midland International Airport. He was chairman of the House Committee on Energy Resources and the legislative point man on energy policies.
In 1999, West clashed with fellow Republican and future Speaker
Tom Craddick
of Midland regarding state funding for county hospitals. West killed a $3 million appropriation destined for a hospital in Midland. An irate Craddick called a press conference to denounce his colleague. Craddick wanted to channel the funds through the Texas Department of Health. The appropriation had been inserted without comment in a conference committee
. West noted the item and convinced two other conferees to join him in killing it. The action did not benefit West’s Odessa but strained relations with Midland’s Craddick.
West was also known for his opposition to chaining dogs. He maintained that chaining is inherently cruel to the dogs and endangers human beings because chained animals are exceptionally aggressive. "Chaining" means tying up the dog to an object such as a tree, a stake, or a parking meter. West’s anti-chaining bill contained a section stating that a dangerous dog should be tied up no longer than is necessary to protect the safety of human beings. As passed, however, the new law prohibits the restraint of a dog to a permanent object at night, or in bad weather conditions, or within 500 feet of a school.
held on March 10, 1992. He defeated W.J. "Jay" Poynor, Sr., 5,297 (53.7 percent) to 4,563 (46.3 percent). In the November 3 general election
, West defeated the Democrat
Betsy Ann Triplet-Hurt, 19,482 (54.3 percent) to 16,4014 (45.7 percent).
In the 2004 general election, West defeated the Democrat Arlo Chavira (born January 1, 1977) of Odessa, 31,288 (75.1 percent) to 10,379 (24.9 percent). In his last successful general election in 2006, West defeated Billy Grimes, nominee of the Libertarian Party
, 16,187 (84.8 percent) to 2,907 (15.2 percent).
West was unseated in the Republican primary
held on March 4 by Tryon D. Lewis
, an Odessa attorney and a former state district judge. In the primary, Lewis led West, 5,273 (44 percent) to 4,602 (38.4 percent). Two other candidates held the remaining 17.6 percent of the vote. In the lower-turnout April 8 runoff, West’s standing collapsed, and Lewis prevailed, 5,181 (76 percent) to 1,637 (24 percent). Lewis, who was supported in the primary by then Speaker Tom Craddick, was unopposed in the November 4 general election.
failure and had begun dialysis
treatment in December 2007. He was unconscious and placed on a respirator
He died in an Odessa hospice
less than a month after the collapse.
In West’s honor, Governor of Texas
Rick Perry
ordered the lowering of flags in the state capitol complex in Austin
on the days of his death and his internment at the Texas State Cemetery
in Austin. Perry said that the state "lost a great public servant when Buddy West passed away... a dedicated champion for the people of West Texas
, Buddy's legacy will live on in the lives of those he touched...."
At the internment service attended by some two hundred, Perry said that if a film
of the "history of West Texas [were made], I think Buddy West would have been the perfect character in that movie to play the lead role. He not only looked the part, he lived the part."
Speaker Craddick said that he would remember his sometimes intraparty rival for West's smile on the House floor and how he looked after his constituents: "Buddy had an interesting attitude; it was his friends, it wasn't [just] somebody he was representing."
West was survived by his wife, the former Shirley Porter, his son Richie, his two daughters, Lori West Bennington and Ami Sabrina West Satterwhite, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Services were held on June 27, 2008, at the First Baptist
Church of Odessa.
U.S. Representative Mike Conaway
of Midland described West as "a good guy and a longtime friend.... He was passionate about West Texas and the work that he did.... His legacy as a Texas legislator will serve as an example to Texas lawmakers for years to come."
Community activist Vickie Gomez, also a West pallbearer, said that though West was Republican by affiliation "I don't think people will ever realize just the effect he had.... He truly was able to work with both parties.... He didn't see party when it came to getting something done...."
UTPB President David Watts said that West was such a supporter of the university that "you didn't even have to ask Buddy to do things for UTPB; he just did it."
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...
member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
from Odessa
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
, who was known for his staunch support of his hometown University of Texas of the Permian Basin
University of Texas of the Permian Basin
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas. It was authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1969 and founded in 1973...
. West served nearly sixteen years as state representative from District 81, which now encompasses Ector, Andrews, and Winkler
Winkler County, Texas
Winkler County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 7,173. Its county seat is Kermit. The county is named for Clinton M. Winkler, a Colonel in the Confederate Army....
counties, a tenure longer than anyone else in the history of the district. His term was scheduled to end on December 31, 2008.
Early years and education
West was born in BallingerBallinger, Texas
Ballinger is a small town in the heart of Texas. Ballinger holds itself as county seat of Runnels County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,243 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Runnels County in the west central portion of 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...
.
West moved to Odessa in 1944, when he was seven years of age. He graduated from Odessa High School
Odessa High School
Odessa High School is a public high school located in Odessa, Texas and is part of the Ector County Independent School District. The full name of the school is Odessa Senior High School. This name was originally to differentiate it from Odessa Junior High School...
, attended the two-year Odessa College
Odessa College
Odessa College is a public two-year junior college based in Odessa, Texas, USA serving the people of Ector County and the Permian Basin. It opened in 1952 and currently enrolls about 5,000 annually in its university-parallel and occupational/technical courses, and 11,000 students annually in its...
and two Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
-affiliated institutions, Howard Payne University
Howard Payne University
Howard Payne University is a four-year private university located in Brownwood, Texas.Currently the university enrolls 1,400 full-time students. Howard Payne is known for the Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom, its Music program and its Christian Studies program...
in Brownwood
Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,813 at the 2000 census.-History:The original site of the Brown County seat of Brownwood was on the east of Pecan Bayou. A dispute arose over land and water rights, and the settlers were forced...
, and Hardin-Simmons University
Hardin-Simmons University
Hardin–Simmons University is a private Baptist university located in Abilene, Texas, United States.-History:Hardin–Simmons University was founded as Abilene Baptist College in 1891 by the Sweetwater Baptist Association and a group of cattlemen and pastors who sought to bring Christian higher...
in Abilene
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
. He received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in business management from UT-Permian Basin, which opened in 1973. West was a member of the first UTPB graduating class; at the 25th anniversary ceremony, West said that he could not have completed his degree had UTPB not then come into being.
West worked for three decades for Amoco
Amoco
Amoco Corporation, originally Standard Oil Company , was a global chemical and oil company, founded in 1889 around a refinery located in Whiting, Indiana, United States....
as a corporate safety engineer
Safety engineer
-Scope of a Safety Engineer:To perform their professional functions, safety engineering professionals must have education, training and experience in a common body of knowledge. They need to have a fundamental knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, physiology, statistics, mathematics, computer...
. Prior to his legislative elections, he was a trustee of the Ector County Independent School District, a nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
position.
Legislative accomplishments
West convinced fellow legislators to fund the 14,000 square-foot University of Texas of the Permian BasinUniversity of Texas of the Permian Basin
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas. It was authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1969 and founded in 1973...
Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
The Presidential Museum and Leadership Library is a museum and library complex located in Odessa, Texas, on the campus of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Unlike the many presidential libraries, the museum is dedicated to the office of the President of the United States, rather than...
, which opened on the UTPB campus in Odessa in 2002-2003. The museum houses exhibits and information about American presidents. West once said that the museum was born in a time of tragedy – the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
West lobbied for the funding of a performing arts center and a new student services building at UTPB. In 2007, he authored House Bill 2289, which would have given school police officers retirement and health insurance benefits under the state teacher retirement system. However, the legislative session ended without passage of the bill.
In 2003, West helped to gain appropriations for a new Odessa-Midland
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
National Guard Armory near the Midland International Airport. He was chairman of the House Committee on Energy Resources and the legislative point man on energy policies.
In 1999, West clashed with fellow Republican and future Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
Tom Craddick
Tom Craddick
Thomas Russell Craddick, known as Tom Craddick , was the first Republican to have served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction. Craddick wielded the Speaker's gavel from 2003-2009...
of Midland regarding state funding for county hospitals. West killed a $3 million appropriation destined for a hospital in Midland. An irate Craddick called a press conference to denounce his colleague. Craddick wanted to channel the funds through the Texas Department of Health. The appropriation had been inserted without comment in a conference committee
Conference committee
A conference committee is a joint committee of a bicameral legislature, which is appointed by, and consists of, members of both chambers to resolve disagreements on a particular bill...
. West noted the item and convinced two other conferees to join him in killing it. The action did not benefit West’s Odessa but strained relations with Midland’s Craddick.
West was also known for his opposition to chaining dogs. He maintained that chaining is inherently cruel to the dogs and endangers human beings because chained animals are exceptionally aggressive. "Chaining" means tying up the dog to an object such as a tree, a stake, or a parking meter. West’s anti-chaining bill contained a section stating that a dangerous dog should be tied up no longer than is necessary to protect the safety of human beings. As passed, however, the new law prohibits the restraint of a dog to a permanent object at night, or in bad weather conditions, or within 500 feet of a school.
Election history
West was initially nominated for state representative in the Republican primaryPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
held on March 10, 1992. He defeated W.J. "Jay" Poynor, Sr., 5,297 (53.7 percent) to 4,563 (46.3 percent). In the November 3 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, West defeated the Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Betsy Ann Triplet-Hurt, 19,482 (54.3 percent) to 16,4014 (45.7 percent).
In the 2004 general election, West defeated the Democrat Arlo Chavira (born January 1, 1977) of Odessa, 31,288 (75.1 percent) to 10,379 (24.9 percent). In his last successful general election in 2006, West defeated Billy Grimes, nominee of the Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
, 16,187 (84.8 percent) to 2,907 (15.2 percent).
West was unseated in the Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
held on March 4 by Tryon D. Lewis
Tryon D. Lewis
Tryon D. Lewis is an attorney in Odessa, Texas, who is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 81 . He is also a former state court judge....
, an Odessa attorney and a former state district judge. In the primary, Lewis led West, 5,273 (44 percent) to 4,602 (38.4 percent). Two other candidates held the remaining 17.6 percent of the vote. In the lower-turnout April 8 runoff, West’s standing collapsed, and Lewis prevailed, 5,181 (76 percent) to 1,637 (24 percent). Lewis, who was supported in the primary by then Speaker Tom Craddick, was unopposed in the November 4 general election.
West’s death and legacy
West collapsed in an Odessa restaurant on May 29. He suffered from kidneyKidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
failure and had begun dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
treatment in December 2007. He was unconscious and placed on a respirator
Respirator
A respirator is a device designed to protect the wearer from inhaling harmful dusts, fumes, vapors, or gases. Respirators come in a wide range of types and sizes used by the military, private industry, and the public...
He died in an Odessa hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
less than a month after the collapse.
In West’s honor, Governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
ordered the lowering of flags in the state capitol complex in 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...
on the days of his death and his internment at the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
in Austin. Perry said that the state "lost a great public servant when Buddy West passed away... a dedicated champion for the people of 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....
, Buddy's legacy will live on in the lives of those he touched...."
At the internment service attended by some two hundred, Perry said that if a film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
of the "history of West Texas [were made], I think Buddy West would have been the perfect character in that movie to play the lead role. He not only looked the part, he lived the part."
Speaker Craddick said that he would remember his sometimes intraparty rival for West's smile on the House floor and how he looked after his constituents: "Buddy had an interesting attitude; it was his friends, it wasn't [just] somebody he was representing."
West was survived by his wife, the former Shirley Porter, his son Richie, his two daughters, Lori West Bennington and Ami Sabrina West Satterwhite, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Services were held on June 27, 2008, at the First Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Odessa.
U.S. Representative Mike Conaway
Mike Conaway
Kenneth Michael "Mike" Conaway, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is located in West Texas and includes Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Brownwood and Fredericksburg....
of Midland described West as "a good guy and a longtime friend.... He was passionate about West Texas and the work that he did.... His legacy as a Texas legislator will serve as an example to Texas lawmakers for years to come."
Community activist Vickie Gomez, also a West pallbearer, said that though West was Republican by affiliation "I don't think people will ever realize just the effect he had.... He truly was able to work with both parties.... He didn't see party when it came to getting something done...."
UTPB President David Watts said that West was such a supporter of the university that "you didn't even have to ask Buddy to do things for UTPB; he just did it."