Mac Roy Rasor's Obituary
Mac Roy Rasor, 90, Career journalist, former Associated Press staff reporter/editor at the Texas State Capitol, retired Dallas Public Relations Executive, beloved husband, father, veteran and friend passed away peacefully in his sleep at home with his family nearby on March 20, 2009. His by-line AP reporting spanned a decade of colorful Texas governmental, legislative and political history during tenures of three governors, 1945-55. Turning to public relations in 1955, he headed the Texas public relations staffs for two Democratic presidential campaigns, Steven-Kefauver in 1956 and Kennedy- Johnson in 1960. From 1955 to 1961, he was executive secretary of the Texas Legal Reserve Officials Association, an organization of executives of 90 then-young Texas life insurance companies. Counseling members to broaden their public relations concept to embrace the total Texas life insurance industry, he instituted a public relations program to help cope with troublesome industry and regulatory problems of that period. The program attached historic Southwestern Life Insurance Company, Dallas, to recruit him in 1961 to head that company’s public relations and advertising functions. There 22 years, he retired as senior vice president for corporate communications. His staff’s activities repeatedly achieved national honors. In 1975 the International Association of Business Communicators named him Communicator of the Year, its highest honor. In a book on Southwestern Life’s history, author Harold Boss termed him a “gifted communicator possessing unique sensitivity to public attitudes.” He served as president of both the Texas State Association and the Dallas Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi Society of Professional Journalists, the North Texas chapter of the Public Relations of America, and the University of Texas Journalist Ex-Students Association. He was listed in Who’s Who editions in Public Relations, in Finance and Industry, in Insurance and in the Southwest. Serving four years in the Marine Corps in World War II, he spent two years in the Pacific theater, including the battle of Iwo Jima from D-day to conclusion. Following the war, he continued service in reserve assignments to retirement in 1978 with the rank of major. Born in Austin, he attended public schools there, his journalism career beginning as editor of the high school newspaper. He received his journalism degree from the University of Texas in 1941, paying his way in part by writing, editing, and proofreading for Austin newspapers. He was married to wife of 48 years, the late Reba Graham Rasor, noted Dallas family attorney commemorated in the Hall of Legends of the Texas State Bar. The family includes a son, John Graham Rasor of Austin, a son and daughter-in-Law, Daniel Lee Rasor, M.D., and Catherine Sumrall Rasor, of Austin; a daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Claire Morrison and Gerald Lee Morrison of Dallas; and four grandchildren, Justin Macroy Morrison, Amanda Claire Morrison, Julia Claire Rasor, and Jonah Daniel Rasor. In addition, he leaves behind a host of other loving relatives and great friends. He is forever in our hearts. The family would like to thank the loving services of Vista Care Hospice Service and Dr. Elwood Jones. In remembrance of his great life, family will receive visitors just prior to services at 2:45pm. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 28 at 3:30pm at Restland Memorial Chapel, Restland Rd., Dallas, TX. Interment to follow in Restland Memorial Park with full military honors.
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