James G. Ulmer passed away on April 16, 2024. He practiced law for 40 years with the firm of Baker Botts LLP in the field of general litigation with emphasis on intellectual property, bankruptcy, and oil and gas law. Ulmer, who also was an Air Force veteran, retired as a senior partner in 1990.
Stanley “Todd” Lowry passed away on April 10, 2023. A double Longhorn, Lowry enjoyed a lengthy academic career and served as an economics professor at Washington and Lee University for more than 35 years until his retirement in 1995.
Harry Whittington passed away on Feb. 4, 2023. Whittington was an attorney and served on several government committees and commissions, such as the Texas Corrections Board, where he was instrumental in bringing reforms to the treatment of prisoners.
William “Bill” Lemen passed away on Dec. 20, 2022. Lemen was a second-generation Marine who went on to earn his bachelor’s and law degrees at UT following his military service. He settled in San Juan, Texas, where he not only practiced law for 50 years, but also served as the county commissioner, then mayor.
Joe Moss passed away on July 4, 2022. A double Longhorn and a Navy veteran, Moss received a business degree and a law degree from UT before serving in the Korean War. Moss had an accomplished legal and corporate career, working in a variety of firms as an oil and gas expert, and presenting to the US Supreme Court several times.
Henry Paul Giessel, age 94, passed away on Dec. 16, 2021 in El Paso, Texas. He served in World War II in the United States Army before entering law school where he was editor of The University of Texas Law Review. He practiced in Houston for over 60 years and distinguished himself as a trial lawyer not only in Texas, but also across the country.
Paul Heermans Smith passed away on Dec. 10, 2021. After graduation from law school, Paul enlisted in the US Navy, and qualified for Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. For his last year of active duty, he was assigned to the Fleet Training Center in San Diego, CA where he taught Military Justice. After his assignment in San Diego, instead of returning to El Paso, he led his family to San Antonio where he joined the law firm of Cox, Patterson & Smith on Feb. 1, 1955. He practiced law with the same firm and its successors until his retirement in 2010.
Harry Swearingen passed away peacefully on June 14, 2021. Harry attended Texas Law and earned the highest score on that year’s bar exam. After law school, he returned to San Antonio and joined the law firm of Brewer, Matthews, Nowlin, and Macfarlane, which, through various mergers over the years, eventually became Cox & Smith (now Dykema). He spent his entire career at the same firm – more than 60 years. Swearingen also served in leadership positions with many local not-for-profits.
Leona Malmstrom Franklin of Houston passed away peacefully on April 2, 2021 at age 96. Franklin started college at Southwest Texas State University and then transferred to The University of Texas at Austin. She landed a job as legal secretary in the firm of Patterson and Patterson and the firm encouraged her to attend The University of Texas School of Law. She was admitted to the bar in 1950 and was successfully practicing law when she met and married the love of her life, Thomas Jennings Franklin.
Charles, known as “Bill” or “Charlie” to his family and friends, passed away on December 1, 2020, in Houston, Texas. Charles served in WWII during his college years, where he was stationed in India. After the war, he moved to Austin and attended the School of Law. Charlie and his wife Nan had eleven children and were together for 63 years. He was an avid reader and armchair historian. He loved to grow roses, sing, and dance. He was a spirited competitor and talented golfer who played many of the best courses in the U.S., Scotland, and Ireland.