ARNOLD, GORDON (1949 ~ 2015). The following is an obituary for former Texas House Member Gordon "Doc" Arnold. The obituary was published in the May 25, 2015 edition of the Austin American Statesman.
ARNOLD, Jr., Gordon "Doc"
The lives Gordon "Doc" Arnold touched are many, and Doc's passing from this life on May 23rd, 2015 will be felt, most immediately by his family, but also by the many colleagues and friends from his lifelong career in public service. Doc was born September 8, 1949, in Richmond, Virginia, to the late Marjorie Ball Arnold Sitek and Gordon Dawkins Arnold.
For more than 40 years, Doc served his local community and the people of Texas with integrity, dignity and dedication, traits that demonstrated his profound respect for public service.
From his early career in public service as an attorney for the Terrell Independent School District and as city attorney for Terrell, Texas in the 1970s, Doc believed in the nobility of public service as a calling. His tireless dedication to his hometown of Terrell led him to seek elective office as the area's State Representative, an office he held for two terms between 1982 and 1984. As a member of the 68th Legislature, Doc served as vice-chairman of the House Task Force on Indigent Health Care, and served on the House Financial Institution and House Environmental Affairs committees. His second term at the State Capital saw Doc contribute his business and legal expertise as a member of the House Business and Commerce Committee, the House Government Organization Committee and with his service on the powerful House Calendars Committee.
Doc's extraordinary abilities to work across the aisle earned him the respect of his colleagues and led him, upon his retirement from the Texas House, to not stray far from the Capitol. He returned to serve as chief of staff to Texas House Speaker Gib Lewis from 1985 - 1988, a position that allowed Doc to use his abundant abilities as a communicator, strategist and legislator to cultivate and strengthen the Speaker's relationships with House members, Senators and statewide elected officials. As a trusted ally to many policymakers, and with his deep knowledge of the legislative process, Doc later in his career found tremendous success in private law practice representing a wide range of clients with legislative, regulatory and political interest.
A proud Baylor Bear, Doc received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Baylor University, where he also was awarded his J.D. in 1974. In his personal, life Doc was a proud and involved father, an avid outdoorsman and historian. He coached Little League Baseball, served on several boards including President of the Booster Club at Anderson High School and the Board of Trustees at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. Doc rarely missed a game or a horse show involving his children. He had a passion for American Civil War history and he and his college roommate visited seventy-three battlefields.
Doc is survived by his wife of 26 years, Elaine, his three children, Erin, Jeff and Kaitlyn, his brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Louise Arnold, his sister and brother-in-law, Marjorie and John McLaughlin, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Suzanne and Kelly Martin, nieces and nephews, Megan, Wade, Emily, Julia and Will Arnold, Rachael Morgan, and Travis, Preston and Merritt Martin. Also survived by In-Laws, Tom and Betty Hardin.
Visitation will be held from 6 - 8 pm, Thursday, May 28th, at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home on Lamar. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, May 29th, at 10:00 am at Hyde Park Baptist Church, 3901 Speedway in Austin. Burial will follow at the Texas State Cemetery.
Doc's family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers from so many family and friends and is sincerely grateful for the dedication of Doc's doctors, nurses and medical team at Texas Oncology. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oklahoma State University Equestrian Team, Oklahoma State University Athletics, Athletics Center, Stillwater, OK 74078, Attn: Equestrian or North West Little League, 3105 Hunt Trail, Austin, TX 78757.
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