[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 145 (Thursday, October 16, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2057-E2058]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO DUB RITER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 16, 2003

  Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a truly great American, 
great leader and dear friend--A.W. ``Dub'' Riter of Tyler, Texas--whose 
passing on September 23, was mourned by friends and admirers from East 
Texas to the White House. Dub was admired and respected not only for 
his many civic contributions and professional success but also for his 
goodness, compassion and humility. Dub truly cared about people and 
wanted to make life better for everyone. He gave selflessly of his 
time, talent and financial backing to countless civic, business and 
educational causes locally, statewide and nationally, and in doing so 
he sought to help others--not call attention to himself.
  Dub was my dear friend and advisor for many years. He was a highly 
recognized and successful banker, retiring from his 50-year banking 
career as senior chairman of the Board of NCNB in Tyler (now Bank of 
America) in 1988. Throughout his career and after his retirement, he 
was tirelessly devoted to a host of community and State activities and 
organizations.
  Education was particularly important to Dub. In 1997 Gov. George W. 
Bush appointed him to serve as a member of the Board of Regents of The 
University of Texas System for a six-year term ending Feb. 1, 2003. 
Gov. Rick Perry then asked him to extend his term through the 
legislative session this year. He was a vice chairman of the board and 
a member of the Finance and Planning Committee, Facilities Planning and 
Construction Committee and the Student, Faculty and Staff Campus Life 
Committee. Dub was currently serving as a member of the Governor's 
Select Task Force on Public Education.
  Dub and his wife, Betty Jo, also were devoted to The University of 
Texas at Tyler, where Dub served as chairman of the development board. 
Dr. Rodney Mabry, UT Tyler President, said that Dub was the ``heart and 
soul'' of the university the past several years. Dub and Betty Jo 
donated a $1.35 million gift to UT Tyler to create the Dub and B.J. 
Riter Millennium Carillon Tower and Plaza and were involved in many 
activities at the university.
  Dub also served as chairman of the University of Texas Health Center 
at Tyler Development Board and was a past president of the

[[Page E2058]]

UT Tyler Educational Foundation, Inc., and the Texas Chest Foundation. 
At one time he served as president of the East Texas State Fair 
Association, East Texas Hospital Foundation, East Texas Symphony 
Association, Mother Frances Hospital Foundation, Texas Rose Festival 
Foundation, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Tyler Economic Development 
Council, Tyler Industrial Foundation and United Way. He was a board 
member of the East Texas Communities Foundation, East Texas Medical 
Center Regional Healthcare System, Regional East Texas Food Bank, 
Salvation Army and Tyler Junior College Foundation.
  As a testament to his lifetime of service, he received the W.C. 
Windsor Award as Tyler's Most Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1958 
and the T.B. Butler Award as Tyler's Most Outstanding Citizen of the 
Year in 1968. In 1987 he received the Patriot of the Year award from UT 
Tyler, and in 1994 he and his wife received the All Saints Episcopal 
School Flame of Excellence award. This year he received the Business 
Hall of Fame honor from Junior Achievement of Greater Tyler, of which 
he was a charter member.

  At the State level, Dub was a life board member of the Texas Research 
League, serving as treasurer for six years, and served two terms as 
president of the Texas Association of Taxpayers. He was a past board 
member of the Texas Chamber of Commerce, which named him East Texan of 
the year in 1992. In 1989 Gov. Bill Clements appointed him to the Texas 
Growth Fund Board of Trustees, and in 1990 he was appointed to the 
Teacher Retirement System Board of Trustees. He was a member of the 
Governor's Business Council Executive Committee and the Executive 
Committee of the Chancellor's Council for The University of Texas 
System.
  This legacy of outstanding achievement speaks to the dedication and 
leadership of this incredible man--and underlying his remarkable 
lifetime of service was his basic goodness and kindness. His gentle 
spirit, positive attitude and belief in others were evident in all that 
he did. Dub inspired, guided and served as a mentor to so many. He had 
an abiding faith in God and was a leader in the First Presbyterian 
Church of Tyler, where he served as elder, trustee, deacon and Sunday 
School teacher.
  There was an outpouring of sympathy following Dub's death. The 
President and Mrs. Bush sent their condolences. National, State and 
local dignitaries attended his memorial service, and hundreds in the 
community expressed their love and support to his family--his beloved 
wife of 53 years, Betty Jo; son A.W. ``Whit'' Riter III and daughter-
in-law Cynthia; daughter Melinda Shoemake and son-in-law Tom, six 
grandchildren and one great-grandson.
  Dub touched and enriched so many lives, and in his absence there will 
be a void that will be difficult to fill. But Dub also leaves a 
powerful legacy of service and selflessness that will be felt for years 
to come. Mr. Speaker, as we adjourn today, let us join his family and 
many friends in celebrating and honoring the life of this great Texan 
and great American--A.W. ``Dub'' Riter--whose exemplary life we will 
remember and cherish.

                          ____________________