George C. Anson Jr.'s Obituary
George Clark Anson Jr. (George C. Anson) died on October 29, 2016, at his home peacefully in Dallas Texas. He is survived by his beloved wife of many years, Joyce Rushing Anson, one daughter, Judith J. Anson of Key West, Florida; two sons, David C. Anson of Bejing, China, and George C. Anson III of Austin, Texas, two grandsons, Matthew and Colin Anson. He was the son of George Clark Anson and Grayce Hall Anson. He was born August 27, 1918, in Waco, Texas, and grew up mainly in Abilene, Texas. In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps; and served during World War II as a radio operator and waist gunner on B-24 (“Liberator”) bombers based in Italy. He was awarded the Purple Heart twice, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters, the EAME campaign medal with Bronze Stars, and other military citations. After the war, George attended Baylor University on the G.I. Bill and graduated from Baylor Law School in 1950, cum laude. He began the practice of law in Dallas in 1950 with Holman Jenkens, working for the legendary Clint Murchison, Sr. In 1952, he was one of the four founders, with Holman Jenkens, William H. Bowen and Walter M. Spradley of the Dallas law firm first named Jenkens and Bowen, then Jenkens, Anson & Spradley and, later, Jenkens, Anson, Spradley and Gilchrist. He left the firm in the latter part of 1969 to become the first General Counsel of First National Bank in Dallas and then the first General Counsel of First International Bancshares, the bank holding company that owned First National. While he was General Counsel, First International acquired more than forty banks located throughout Texas through mergers and acquisitions. During that time period, it was the largest bank holding company in the south and southwest. Following retirement from the bank holding company in 1983, he re-entered private law practice in Dallas with the firm of Shank, Irwin, Conant, Lipshy, and Casterline. After that firm dissolved, he was a sole practitioner for several years and retired again about ten years ago. George was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees (now Regents) of Baylor University in 1967 and served on that board for eighteen years; was a Regent Emeritus of the University board from 1992 until his death. He also served on the Boards of Trustees of Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, the Baylor Health Care System, and the Baylor Specialty Health Centers, for a total of almost forty years. In 1990, he received the W. R. White Meritorious Service Award of the Baylor University Alumni Association; and in 1998 he was awarded the Herbert H. Reynolds Award for distinguished service to Baylor University Students. In 1997, Baylor Health Care System established The George C. Anson / Baylor Health Care System endowed scholarship fund to provide assistance for Baylor University students who are pursuing degrees in health care professions or health care related degrees. At the time of his death, he was a member and life deacon of Park Cities Baptist Church. He was a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas and American Bar Associations, The Texas Bar Foundation, the Dallas Bar Foundation, and other professional organizations. He was a member of Northwood Club in Dallas for more than forty years. In addition to his immediate family, he is survived by one sister, Eleanor Curry of Wilmington, North Carolina, and a number of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, one brother, L. B. Anson of Oklahoma City, and three sisters, Pauline Reese, Annette Price and Grace Anson of San Antonio. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, November 3, 2016, at 3:00PM at the Wildwood Chapel at Restland Funeral Home, burial with honors will be at DFW National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Park Cities Baptist Church, the George, and Joyce Anson endowed a scholarship fund at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, the Baylor Health Care System Foundation, or other charity of donor’s choice.
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