Roll Call Tribute

Bill W. Clayton '50, 78, of Springlake (formerly of Olney) died Jan. 6, 2007. He was a delegate for Lyndon Johnson at the Democratic National Convention in 1960. (He later switched to the Republican Party in 1985.) He was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1962 and was speaker from 1975-83, the longest-serving speaker to that time. He was a lobbyist in Austin and had a legislative and business consulting firm until 2003. He farmed and ranched and ran a vineyard after he retired from the House. He was named to Texas A&M's Board of Regents in 1987 and was president of the board of The Association of Former Students in 1988. He was named a Distinguished Alumnus of Texas A&M in 1979. He received honorary doctorate of law degrees from Texas Tech University and Texas Wesleyan University. Survivors include his wife, Delma; a son; a daughter; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.