Temple Dickson
Encyclopedia
Robert Temple Dickson, III (October 29, 1934–November 29, 2006), was a prominent trial lawyer
, rancher, and a former Democratic
state legislator, having served in both the Texas House of Representatives
, from 1965 to 1971, and the Texas Senate
, from 1989 to 1993.
, the seat of Baylor County
, to Mary Isabel and Robert Temple Dickson, Jr. He came from a political family: his grandfather, Robert Temple Dickson, Sr., was a district judge. His father was a Texas state representative from 1939 to 1943. Dickson graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1953. In 1957, he married his high school sweetheart, the former Kathy Kerbow, with whom he shared an interest in the environment and nature. Mrs. Dickson was one of the survivors of the SS Andrea Doria
, the Italian
passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic in 1956. He earned both his bachelor's and law
degrees from the University of Texas at Austin
.
, the seat of Fisher County. Dickson and Steve Carriker thereafter became friends and political allies and served in the Senate from adjoining districts. Dickson won his House seat in 1964 by defeating the then Sweetwater mayor, Bill Matthews, in the then pivotal Democratic primary.
As a lawmaker, he created and expanded the Sweetwater campus of Texas State Technical Institute, according to the Austin American-Statesman
. Dickson also wrote the Texas Tort Claims Act of 1969, which holds agencies of local and state government to be legally responsible for negligent acts. The law was passed after Governor
Preston Smith vetoed an initial version.
Between his House and Senate service, Dickson was the president of the school board in Sweetwater from 1979 to 1983. He unseated state Senator Grant Jones of Temple
in the 1988 Democratic primary, a bitter and high-dollar affair. His Senate term coincided with the last two years of Republican
Governor Bill Clements
, and the first two years of his fellow Democrat Ann Richards
. Dickson was considered a liberal
by Texas standards and was a senate supporter of Richards.
In 1992, Dickson lost renomination to fellow Democratic State Senator Bill Sims, after the two were paired into the same district during redistricting
. Sims received 65.4% of the vote to Dickson's 34.6%. Dickson lost twenty-eight of the thirty counties in the district, winning only Nolan and Taylor
Counties.
White-bearded and moustached, Dickson often wore a cowboy hat. According to his son-in-law, the Austin lawyer Steve Baker, Dickson resembled a "classic Texas character. He was almost right out of a movie. He looked like a West Texas gunfighter. He had a huge heart, but he did not back down to anybody. Guys like that don't get elected anymore." Dickson was also an avid reader of Shakespeare.
Ben Barnes, who was lieutenant governor when the 1969 tort claims measure prevailed, recalled that senators divided 15-15, with one member not on the Senate floor. A lobbyist who opposed the proposal on behalf of municipal interests was smoking a pipe in the overhead visitors gallery. The pipe was said to have fallen from his mouth when Barnes cast a rare vote to break the tie and send the measure forward. Dickson later received the pipe as a souvenir. "He was one of the outstanding lawyers who ever served. He understood how to write law," said Barnes.
.
Dickson died on his family ranch just north of Maryneal near Sweetwater
, the seat of Nolan County .
Dickson's family told the Austin American-Statesman that the former lawmaker gained "solace by building rock fences." He build the structures with "the touch of a master mason." The work was said to have helped him overcome his addiction for alcohol
. He was also a former smoker and became an anti-tobacco crusader. He fought lung cancer
for more than a decade.
In addition to his wife Kathy, Dickson was survived by four daughters: Allison husband Steve Baker of Austin, Angie Dickson, Priscilla and husband Paul Primavera of The Woodlands, Texas
, and Maria and husband Frank Parigi of Dallas
, thirteen grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Dickson was hailed by a former colleague, former state Senator Carlos Truan: "I'm proud to have served with Temple Dickson. He served his district with distinction. He represented them as well as any other senator.To me, Temple Dickson will always stand out as one of the few of the best. I am proud to call him a friend," Truan told the Abilene Reporter-News
.
Similarly, former state Senator and sitting U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett
, an Austin Democrat, said of Dickson in a prepared statement: "He was an able and effective voice for West Texans and a compassionate, intelligent, independent fighter for our families."
Graveside services were held at the family cemetery on the Dickson Ranch on December 2, 2006.
The Temple Dickson Center, a former juvenile detention facility in Sweetwater, is named for him.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, rancher, and a former Democratic
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...
state legislator, having served in both 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 1965 to 1971, and the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
, from 1989 to 1993.
Early years
Dickson was born in SeymourSeymour, Texas
Seymour is a city in and the county seat of Baylor County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,740 as of the 2010 Census.-Geography:Seymour is located at ....
, the seat of Baylor County
Baylor County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,093 people, 1,791 households, and 1,156 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were 2,820 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...
, to Mary Isabel and Robert Temple Dickson, Jr. He came from a political family: his grandfather, Robert Temple Dickson, Sr., was a district judge. His father was a Texas state representative from 1939 to 1943. Dickson graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1953. In 1957, he married his high school sweetheart, the former Kathy Kerbow, with whom he shared an interest in the environment and nature. Mrs. Dickson was one of the survivors of the SS Andrea Doria
SS Andrea Doria
SS Andrea Doria[p] was an ocean liner for the Italian Line home ported in Genoa, Italy, most famous for its sinking in 1956, when 46 people died. Named after the 16th-century Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, the ship had a gross register tonnage of 29,100 and a capacity of about 1,200 passengers and...
, the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic in 1956. He earned both his bachelor's and law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
degrees from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
Political career
Dickson lost his first bid for the legislature while he was still a UT student. He was defeated by Max Carriker, the father of former state Senator Steve Carriker of tiny RobyRoby, Texas
Roby is a city in and the county seat of Fisher County, Texas, United States. The population was 643 at the 2010 census.- History :In 1885, shortly after Fisher County was organized, a dispute arose between business partners from Mississippi and a town called Fisher. Both wanted their land to host...
, the seat of Fisher County. Dickson and Steve Carriker thereafter became friends and political allies and served in the Senate from adjoining districts. Dickson won his House seat in 1964 by defeating the then Sweetwater mayor, Bill Matthews, in the then pivotal Democratic primary.
As a lawmaker, he created and expanded the Sweetwater campus of Texas State Technical Institute, according to the Austin American-Statesman
Austin American-Statesman
The Austin American-Statesman is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is an award-winning publication owned by Cox Enterprises. The Newspaper places focus on issues affecting Austin and the Central Texas region....
. Dickson also wrote the Texas Tort Claims Act of 1969, which holds agencies of local and state government to be legally responsible for negligent acts. The law was passed after Governor
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...
Preston Smith vetoed an initial version.
Between his House and Senate service, Dickson was the president of the school board in Sweetwater from 1979 to 1983. He unseated state Senator Grant Jones of Temple
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
in the 1988 Democratic primary, a bitter and high-dollar affair. His Senate term coincided with the last two years of 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...
Governor Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
, and the first two years of his fellow Democrat Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
. Dickson was considered a liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
by Texas standards and was a senate supporter of Richards.
In 1992, Dickson lost renomination to fellow Democratic State Senator Bill Sims, after the two were paired into the same district during redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
. Sims received 65.4% of the vote to Dickson's 34.6%. Dickson lost twenty-eight of the thirty counties in the district, winning only Nolan and Taylor
Taylor County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 126,555 people, 47,274 households, and 32,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 138 people per square mile . There were 52,056 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile...
Counties.
White-bearded and moustached, Dickson often wore a cowboy hat. According to his son-in-law, the Austin lawyer Steve Baker, Dickson resembled a "classic Texas character. He was almost right out of a movie. He looked like a West Texas gunfighter. He had a huge heart, but he did not back down to anybody. Guys like that don't get elected anymore." Dickson was also an avid reader of Shakespeare.
Ben Barnes, who was lieutenant governor when the 1969 tort claims measure prevailed, recalled that senators divided 15-15, with one member not on the Senate floor. A lobbyist who opposed the proposal on behalf of municipal interests was smoking a pipe in the overhead visitors gallery. The pipe was said to have fallen from his mouth when Barnes cast a rare vote to break the tie and send the measure forward. Dickson later received the pipe as a souvenir. "He was one of the outstanding lawyers who ever served. He understood how to write law," said Barnes.
Later career
Dickson practiced in the Sweetwater firm of Moore, Dickson, and Maxwell. His specialties were Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Railroad Accidents and Injuries; Products Liability; Medical Malpractice; Oil and Gas; Water Rights. Dickson was a member of the Sweetwater and the American Bar associations, the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. He was a member of Phi Alpha DeltaPhi Alpha Delta
ΦAΔ , or P.A.D., is the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States of America. Phi Alpha Delta has members who are university students, law school students, lawyers, judges, senators, and even presidents. It was founded in 1902 and today has over 300,000 initiated members...
.
Dickson died on his family ranch just north of Maryneal near Sweetwater
Sweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater is the county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2000 census.-History:Sweetwater received a U.S. post office in 1879. The Texas and Pacific Railway started service in 1881, with the first train arriving on March 12 of that year, beginning...
, the seat of Nolan County .
Dickson's family told the Austin American-Statesman that the former lawmaker gained "solace by building rock fences." He build the structures with "the touch of a master mason." The work was said to have helped him overcome his addiction for alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
. He was also a former smoker and became an anti-tobacco crusader. He fought lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
for more than a decade.
In addition to his wife Kathy, Dickson was survived by four daughters: Allison husband Steve Baker of Austin, Angie Dickson, Priscilla and husband Paul Primavera of The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands is a master-planned community and a Census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population of the CDP was 55,649 at the 2000 census—a 90 percent increase over its 1990 population. According to the 2010 census, The Woodlands' population rose...
, and Maria and husband Frank Parigi of 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...
, thirteen grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Dickson was hailed by a former colleague, former state Senator Carlos Truan: "I'm proud to have served with Temple Dickson. He served his district with distinction. He represented them as well as any other senator.To me, Temple Dickson will always stand out as one of the few of the best. I am proud to call him a friend," Truan told the Abilene Reporter-News
Abilene Reporter-News
Abilene Reporter-News is a daily newspaper based in Abilene, Texas, USA. The newspaper started publishing three months after Abilene was founded by C.E. Gilbert, effective June 17, 1881. It is hence the oldest continuous business in the city....
.
Similarly, former state Senator and sitting U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett
Lloyd Doggett
Lloyd Alton Doggett II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He previously represented from 1995 to 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, an Austin Democrat, said of Dickson in a prepared statement: "He was an able and effective voice for West Texans and a compassionate, intelligent, independent fighter for our families."
Graveside services were held at the family cemetery on the Dickson Ranch on December 2, 2006.
The Temple Dickson Center, a former juvenile detention facility in Sweetwater, is named for him.