Ric Williamson
Encyclopedia
Richard F. Williamson was the chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission and a former Democrat
-turned-Republican
member of the Texas House of Representatives
. As a resident of Weatherford
, he represented from 1985-1999 District 61 (Parker
and Wise
counties), located west of Fort Worth
.
Williamson was elected to the state House as a Democrat in 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1992. In the latter contest, he defeated Republican challenger David Kubosh, 28,709 (63.8 percent) to 16,269 (36.2 percent). In 1994, Williamson ran for the first time as a Republican and defeated Democrat Robert R. Hopkins, 22,898 (65.1 percent) to 12,281 (34.9 percent). He was unopposed as a Republican in 1996 but did not seek reelection in 1998. He was succeeded by the Republican Phillip Stephen King
of Weatherford, a leading figure in the conservative
faction in the legislature.
Williamson served on the Texas House/Senate Budget Conference Committee, Appropriations Committee (vice chairman), and the Ways And Means (tax-writing) Committee. He was cited in 1989 and 1991 by Texas Monthly
magazine as among the "Ten Best Legislators" in the state. In 1997, the Dallas Morning News named him the "Best of the 75th Legislative Session". The Texas Chamber of Commerce gave Williamson its "Leadership Award" in 1992. He served on several boards, including the Southern Regional Education Board, Legislative Budget Board, Department of Information Resources Board, Uniform Statewide Accounting System Committee, the Southern Legislative Conference, and the Weatherford Little League Association.
In 2001, Governor Rick Perry
, Williamson's former legislative colleague and roommate, appointed Williamson to the Transportation Commission; three years later on January 29, 2004, he was named chairman of the five-member panel which regulates transportation policies. Members of the commission are nominated by the governor for regular six-year appointments and confirmed with a two-thirds vote of the 31-member Texas State Senate. On the commission, Williamson was a strong proponent of toll road
s to expand the state transportation network. He supported efforts to bring about Perry's favorite project, the Trans-Texas Corridor
toll road.
Williamson was born in Abilene
, the seat of Taylor County
in west Texas. He graduated in 1974 from the University of Texas at Austin
. He moved to Weatherford and co-founded RAW Energy. Later, he started his own natural gas
production company, MKS Consulting, which continues to operate.
A heavy smoker
, Williamson died of his third heart attack
. Perry eulogized
his friend by quoting from the Irish satirist
Jonathan Swift
. Perry said that Williamson was the most persuasive individual that he had ever encountered. Williamson had urged Perry to seek the lieutenant governorship in 1998, a position which led to Perry's rise to the governorship two years later in December 2000.
Williamson with his wife Mary Ann had three daughters, Melissa Meyer and husband Randy of Weatherford, Katherine Strange and husband Matthew of Houston
, and Sara Williamson, also of Houston. He was also survived by two grandchildren and his mother, Jane Gray and her husband, Gordon Gray, of Abilene. Williamson was cremated
. Memorial services were held on January 3, 2008, in the Jerry Durant Auditorium of Weatherford High School. Perry said that Williamson's "passion to serve his beloved State of Texas was unmatched, and his determination to help our state meet it future challenges was unparalleled. He will be missed beyond words."
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...
-turned-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...
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...
. As a resident of Weatherford
Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.-Geography:...
, he represented from 1985-1999 District 61 (Parker
Parker County, Texas
As of the census of 2003, there were 98,495 people, 31,131 households, and 24,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile . There were 34,084 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
and Wise
Wise County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,793 people, 17,178 households, and 13,467 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 19,242 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
counties), located west of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
.
Williamson was elected to the state House as a Democrat in 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1992. In the latter contest, he defeated Republican challenger David Kubosh, 28,709 (63.8 percent) to 16,269 (36.2 percent). In 1994, Williamson ran for the first time as a Republican and defeated Democrat Robert R. Hopkins, 22,898 (65.1 percent) to 12,281 (34.9 percent). He was unopposed as a Republican in 1996 but did not seek reelection in 1998. He was succeeded by the Republican Phillip Stephen King
Phil King (Texas politician)
Phillip Stephen "Phil" King is a Weatherford, Texas, attorney who has been a conservative Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives since 1999. He represents District 61, which encompasses Parker and Wise counties to the west of Fort Worth.-Conservative legislator:King was named...
of Weatherford, a leading figure in the conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
faction in the legislature.
Williamson served on the Texas House/Senate Budget Conference Committee, Appropriations Committee (vice chairman), and the Ways And Means (tax-writing) Committee. He was cited in 1989 and 1991 by Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
magazine as among the "Ten Best Legislators" in the state. In 1997, the Dallas Morning News named him the "Best of the 75th Legislative Session". The Texas Chamber of Commerce gave Williamson its "Leadership Award" in 1992. He served on several boards, including the Southern Regional Education Board, Legislative Budget Board, Department of Information Resources Board, Uniform Statewide Accounting System Committee, the Southern Legislative Conference, and the Weatherford Little League Association.
In 2001, Governor 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...
, Williamson's former legislative colleague and roommate, appointed Williamson to the Transportation Commission; three years later on January 29, 2004, he was named chairman of the five-member panel which regulates transportation policies. Members of the commission are nominated by the governor for regular six-year appointments and confirmed with a two-thirds vote of the 31-member Texas State Senate. On the commission, Williamson was a strong proponent of toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
s to expand the state transportation network. He supported efforts to bring about Perry's favorite project, the Trans-Texas Corridor
Trans-Texas Corridor
The Trans-Texas Corridor was a transportation network that was discontinued in the planning and early construction stages in the U.S. State of Texas. The network, as originally envisioned, would have been composed of a network of supercorridors up to wide to carry parallel links of tollways,...
toll road.
Williamson was born 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...
, the seat of Taylor County
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...
in west Texas. He graduated in 1974 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...
. He moved to Weatherford and co-founded RAW Energy. Later, he started his own natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
production company, MKS Consulting, which continues to operate.
A heavy smoker
Smoking
Smoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco or cannabis, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them...
, Williamson died of his third heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. Perry eulogized
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
his friend by quoting from the Irish satirist
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
. Perry said that Williamson was the most persuasive individual that he had ever encountered. Williamson had urged Perry to seek the lieutenant governorship in 1998, a position which led to Perry's rise to the governorship two years later in December 2000.
Williamson with his wife Mary Ann had three daughters, Melissa Meyer and husband Randy of Weatherford, Katherine Strange and husband Matthew of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, and Sara Williamson, also of Houston. He was also survived by two grandchildren and his mother, Jane Gray and her husband, Gordon Gray, of Abilene. Williamson was cremated
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
. Memorial services were held on January 3, 2008, in the Jerry Durant Auditorium of Weatherford High School. Perry said that Williamson's "passion to serve his beloved State of Texas was unmatched, and his determination to help our state meet it future challenges was unparalleled. He will be missed beyond words."