In memory of George William Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake of Houston.
WHEREAS, Family and friends were deeply saddened by the
deaths of former Texas secretary of state George William Strake Jr.
and his wife, Annette DeWalch Strake; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Strake passed away on February 9, 2024, at the
age of 88; the son of George William Strake Sr. and Susan Kehoe
Strake, George Strake was born in Houston on June 10, 1935; he was
an honor roll student at St. Thomas High School and went on to
become president of his class at the University of Notre Dame; after
completing his bachelor’s degree in economics, he served two years
as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy and earned an MBA from
Harvard University; he followed in his father’s footsteps,
embarking on a noteworthy career in the oil business, and rose to
become chair and CEO of Strake Energy, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Strake was preceded in death by his wife on
November 16, 2023, when she was 86; born in Houston on June 20,
1937, the former Annette DeWalch was the daughter of Frank Anthony
DeWalch and Gladys King DeWalch, and she grew up with two brothers,
Donald and Robert; after graduating from St. Agnes Academy, she
attended the University of St. Thomas; and
WHEREAS, George and Annette Strake were joined in matrimony
on January 10, 1959, in a ceremony conducted at St. Anne Catholic
Church; through the years, they were blessed with six children,
George, Stephen, Michele, Melanie, Gregory, and Melissa, as well as
17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; they also welcomed a
host of friends into their home, especially at holidays and for
Mrs. Strake’s famous Dancing with the Stars parties; and
WHEREAS, In 1961, Mr. Strake became involved in state and
national politics; he was appointed Texas secretary of state in
1979 and served as chair of the Republican Party of Texas from 1983
to 1988; subsequently, he was named to the Texas Task Force on
Public Education; he further served his fellow citizens as a member
of the boards of numerous civic and charitable organizations, among
them the Rotary Club of Houston, Boy Scouts of America, the Albert &
Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, the San Jacinto Museum and
Battlefield, and the “C” Club of Houston, of which he was a founding
member; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Strake was the recipient of myriad accolades,
and he took special pride in his selection as one of Community
Partners’ “Fathers of the Year”; in 1993, he and his wife were
recognized as “Houstonians of the Year” by The Center for Hearing
and Speech; and
WHEREAS, Faithful parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel
Catholic Church, Mr. and Mrs. Strake supported Catholic education
through the Strake Foundation, which has provided capital and
programmatic support for initiatives at Mrs. Strake’s alma mater,
the University of St. Thomas; Mr. Strake served on its board, and he
received an honorary doctorate; in addition, he was a longtime
benefactor of the University of Notre Dame, and he worked to advance
its mission as a Catholic institution and served on the College of
Arts and Letters Advisory Council; Mrs. Strake served on the boards
of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women and St. Agnes Academy; in
addition, she volunteered extensively and benefited her community
in numerous leadership roles, including as a member of the boards of
the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center and the Barbara Bush Houston
Literacy Foundation; the Strakes were loyal supporters of the
foundation’s annual A Celebration of Reading event; proud of her
Italian heritage, she was also a member of the Donne di Domani club;
and
WHEREAS, George and Annette Strake inspired innumerable
people through their great devotion to each other, as well as
through their wide-ranging civic contributions, and they are
remembered with tremendous admiration and affection by all who were
privileged to know them; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of George William
Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake and extend sincere
condolences to all who mourn their passing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for their family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of George
William Strake Jr. and Annette DeWalch Strake.
