[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 110 (Friday, July 30, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1688-E1689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MR. THOMAS CHARLES UNIS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 29, 1999

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
order to honor one of the most productive civic leaders in the history 
of Dallas, Mr. Thomas Charles Unis, who passed away on July 17th. Mr. 
Unis was a gentleman, and an outstanding public servant. He was one of 
the best legal minds ever produced by the state of Texas. The City of 
Dallas is forever indebted to Mr. Unis for his leadership, and 
commitment to public service. The loss of Thomas Unis is an incredible 
blow to Dallas. We are comforted by the fact that Mr. Unis led an 
exemplary life.
  As a man of faith, Mr. Unis was held in the highest regard, being 
designated a papal knight of St. Gregory by Pope Pius XII in 1953, as 
well as Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, and a Knight of Malta. Honors 
were no stranger to Mr. Unis, as he received praise for his dedication 
to community service, as founder or charter member of a number of 
organizations including the Catholic Foundation, University

[[Page E1689]]

of Dallas, and the Greater Dallas Community Relations Commission.
  Tom Unis not only had a record of community involvement, but was also 
able to use an impressive educational background to gain success in his 
career. Mr. Unis received his law degree from the University of Texas 
and served in the Navy in World War II before he began practicing law 
in 1946. As a result of the war period, cases mounted in the District 
Attorney's office in Dallas. Mr. Unis, a young prosecutor after World 
War II, gained experience in the office of the District Attorney, 
working on cases accumulated from the War period. Tom recalled in an 
interview that, ``we were trying cases morning, noon, and night.'' Mr. 
Unis' legal career extended well into the 1980's, when he made his 
services available to Pennzoil, in the Pennzoil v. Texaco corporate 
lawsuit. According to Tom, he was compelled to take the case because 
``it was the biggest piece of litigation that had come along in 
years.'' Though Mr. Unis was an incredibly successful attorney, having 
a four decade career with the firm, Strasburger and Price, he devoted a 
substantial portion of his time to public service.
  Thomas Unis began his participation in the political realm in 1939, 
at the University of Texas, when he serenaded female students as part 
of a campaign for student office. In 1957, nearly two decades later, 
Mr. Unis remained involved in local politics, serving on the Dallas 
City Council. In the early 1960's J. Erik Jonsson ran for mayor with 
the backing of the Dallas Citizens' Charter Association. Jonsson 
eventually persuaded Mr. Unis to become his campaign manager for the 
mayoral race. Mr. Jonsson, with Tom Unis as his campaign manager, won 
the mayoral race, and ironically, Mr. Unis later became the president 
of the Dallas Citizens' Charter Association. During the 1980s, Thomas 
Unis served on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) board as an 
appointee of the Dallas County Commissioners Court. His presence on the 
DART board as well as the other associations had a significant impact 
on Dallas, which is why his participation was requested for a large 
number of public service endeavors.
  Mr. Unis died at the age of 81, and is survived by his wife, Dorothy 
and four children, Tom, Joseph, Cheryl, and Mary. Though the City of 
Dallas will mourn the death of Mr. Unis, we should remember his own 
words: ``I've had a lot of fun all my life,'' we should also celebrate 
his accomplishments, and the fact that he lived a long and memorable 
life. We all have lost an incredible person, but celebrate Mr. Unis's 
full and successful life.

                          ____________________