Charles  W. Barrow

BARROW, CHARLES W. (1921 ~ 2006). The following is an obituary for Justice Charles W. Barrow provided by Porter Loring Mortuary of San Antonio:

"Justice Charles W. Barrow, 84, passed away peacefully in the company of family members on June 25, 2006. He was predeceased by his son Charles Wallace Barrow, Jr. (Wally).

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sugie Williams Barrow; and his sons John Douglas Barrow of Corpus Christi, Texas, David Williams Barrow and wife Irene of Flagstaff, Arizona, and James Hunter Barrow and wife Alison of San Antonio; eight grandchildren: Hunter Denson Barrow of Austin, Texas; Lucas Jackson Barrow of Austin, Texas; Justin Colter Barrow of San Antonio, Texas; Katie Elizabeth Barrow of San Francisco, California; Henry Galahad Barrow of Flagstaff, Arizona; Travis Hunter Barrow of San Antonio; Scarlette Catherine Barrow of San Antonio; Thomas Charles Barrow of San Antonio, Texas and one great-granddaughter, Breanna Barrow of San Antonio, Texas; his sister Bea Little and husband Loftin Little of San Antonio, Texas; and his brother-in-law Sid Williams III and wife Linda Williams of Pearsall, Texas; nephews Glenn Devlin of Houston, Texas; Sid Williams IV of Pearsall, Texas; Stephen Williams of Pearsall, Texas; and nieces Nancy Devlin of Corpus Christi, Texas; and Eleanor Williams of San Antonio; and numerous cousins, grandnieces, grandnephews, and their families.

Justice Barrow was born September 22, 1921 in Poteet, Texas to Hunter and Ozella Crouch Barrow. His parents were each from pioneering families in Atascosa County. His father served as a District and Court of Appeals judge until his death in 1962. After growing up in Jourdanton, Texas, Justice Barrow graduated from Baylor University Law School in 1943, immediately entered service in the United States Navy, participated in the Normandy invasion, and earned 7 battle stars after service in the European and Pacific theaters. He also served in the Korean War. He retired as a full Navy captain and served in the Navy reserves.

He married the former Sugie Williams of Hindes, Texas on August 25, 1943 in the First Baptist Church of Charlotte, Texas.

After practicing law in San Antonio for fifteen years, Justice Barrow began his service to the State of Texas in 1959 as Judge of the 45th District Court. He subsequently served as Associate and later, Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals from 1962-1977. In 1977, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Texas and served on the state's highest court until 1984, when he became Dean of the Baylor University School of Law.

After seven extraordinary years leading the growth and success of the law school, he returned to San Antonio in 1991, serving as a Senior District Judge in Bexar and surrounding counties until his retirement. During his career on the bench, Justice Barrow authored more than 700 judicial opinions involving many of the most far-reaching and historic cases in Texas jurisprudence.

He earned a reputation as one the hardest-working judges in Texas, all the while remaining true to his core values of integrity, honesty, and humility. Whether speaking to a Texas governor or an old friend at the feed store, his remarkable gifts of country wisdom and common-sense thinking were well known and appreciated by all who were around Justice Barrow.

Some of the many awards received by Justice Barrow include Baylor University Distinguished Alumnus; Baylor Lawyer of the Year; Distinguished Jurist from St. Mary's University; Greenhill Judicial Award from the Texas Municipal Courts Association; and Atascosa County Comeback Farmer of the Year. He was a Thirty-Third Degree Mason, and a valued member of the State Bar of Texas, San Antonio Bar Association, Texas Bar Foundation, Alamo Heights United Methodist Church, San Antonio Country Club, and many other groups and organizations."

Barrow was buried at the Texas State Cemetery on June 28, 2006. Further information is available through the Texas State Cemetery research department.