In Memoriam 2023

Paul Frederick Anderson died in January at the age of 79. Anderson received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University and his law degree from the University of Houston. He practiced law for more than fifty years.

Robert Arthur Anderson died in May at the age of 90. Anderson was born in Oakland, Nebraska. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduation, he joined the United States Air Force and served as a fighter pilot stationed in Okinawa. Following separation from the service, he returned to Austin to attend law school. Upon graduation, Anderson and his brother founded Anderson Exploration, an oil and gas business based in Calgary.

Lamar “Ken” Bennight, Jr. died in May at the age of 75. Bennight was raised in Corpus Christi and graduated from Ray High School. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. Following service in the United States Marine Corps, Bennight began his law career with Martin & Drought. He had a varied legal career—sole practitioner, instructor at San Antonio College, and most recently as an Assistant City Attorney for San Antonio.

I met Ken Bennight when I was a young associate and he was a partner at Martin, Shannon & Drought (now Martin & Drought). Ken was the lawyer to whom every other lawyer in the firm went when they had an unusual legal problem but no idea how to even approach it. Ken would tackle anything, and he always came up with a solution that made sense. Ken was one of the friendliest people I ever met, defying the stereotype of a former Marine Corps officer, which he was. After leaving Martin & Drought, Ken had his own law practice, worked for the Texas General Land Office, and most recently served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of San Antonio before retiring. Ken was interested in music, politics, aquariums, canoeing, scuba diving, bridge, reading, and writing. He authored the legal guide Texas Law of Streets and Alleys: A Handbook, and also wrote fiction, including a series of novels, the main character of which was Nacho Perez, a tough San Antonio detective. The term “Renaissance Man” fit Ken perfectly.

—Paul Curl

Loren D. Brunke died in September at the age of 80. Brunke was born in Beatrice, Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and received degrees in Zoology and Physiology. After graduation, he joined the United States Air Force. Following military service, Brunke enrolled in Baylor Law School and graduated in 1972. During his legal career, he served as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, was in private practice in Sherman and San Antonio for a combined five years, and worked for twenty years with the Texas Department of Transportation.

Lauro Bustamante, Jr. died in September at the age of 71. Bustamante was born in Asherton, Texas. He received his law degree from the University of Houston in 1979. He had a general civil practice in San Antonio for nearly fifty years.

Marion Isabel Wright Cain died in January at the age of 92. Cain was raised in Moorhead, Minnesota. She attended Concordia College, the University of Minnesota, and Northwestern University and earned a graduate degree in Nursing. She received her law degree from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento in 1976. She moved to San Antonio in 1980 and practiced law until January 2023 with an emphasis on Social Security and disability law.

Charles Edward Campion died in September at the age of 82. Campion received his law degree from St. Mary’s University in 1966. He practiced law for fifty-seven years and was a prominent member of the criminal defense bar of San Antonio.

Charles Campion graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1966 and practiced in San Antonio for 57 years. He was a member of the inaugural class of attorneys to be Board Certified in Criminal Law in 1975. Charles’ mild demeanor and charismatic personality yielded an uncanny ability to connect with people, both personally and professionally, even those to whom he had only known for a few minutes. These talents served as the foundation for his phenomenal success with juries. The list of high-profile cases he tried is impressive, but it was his desire to help the lowly and the less fortunate in our society that motivated him to work as long as he did, mentoring many young lawyers along the way. Although technology in the legal field seems to have taken the forefront, as long as we have juries, there will never be a substitute for old school advocacy, and no one did it better than Charles. His family, friends, colleagues, clients, and the community will miss him greatly.

—Bernard Campion

Howard E. “Ben” Davis, Jr. died in June at the age of 75. Davis was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Davis graduated from the University of Notre Dame (1969). He was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. Davis was awarded two Bronze Stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Vietnamese Campaign Ribbon with three Battle Stars, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He received his law degree from St. Mary’s University in 1975 and was member of its Law Journal. Davis was a highly respected trial attorney in San Antonio.

Hon. Preston Hastings Dial, Jr. died in January at the age of 94. Judge Dial was a native of San Antonio. He received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He achieved the rank of Colonel in the Air Force and served in the Air Rescue Service in the Philippine Islands and Okinawa during the Korean War. Dial remained in the Air Force Reserves for thirty years. He was a Briefing Attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas, a federal prosecutor, and a First Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County. He served as Judge for the 175th District Court of Bexar County for thirteen years, followed by six years as Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals. He retired from the bench in 1988.

When I was in law school, Judge Preston “Peppy” Dial’s judicial next-door neighbor was Judge Jim Barlow, our Criminal Law professor. He insisted that if we wanted to see a great criminal judge in action, go to Judge Dial’s courtroom—the 175th District Court—and I often did that during my clerking trips to the Old Red Courthouse. Many years later, I worked with Peppy on numerous state bar committees. I remember that—in 2002, when he won a later award—I congratulated him, and he said these funny words, which I’ve never forgotten: “At my age, when you win awards, you’re not looking for anything else for your resume. Now it’s for my obit!” Godspeed, you wonderful man! Your place is secure in the pantheon of great Texas judges.

—Claude Ducloux

Dustin James Draper died in July at the age of 39. Draper was born in Evanston, Wyoming. He received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He practiced Social Security and disability law.

Milton I. Fagin died in August at the age of 75. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University and his law degree from St. Mary’s University. Fagin was Board Certified in Family Law. In 2023 Fagin celebrated his fiftieth year as a licensed attorney.

Oscar Carl Gonzalez died in January at the age of 90. A graduate of Baylor University School of Law, Gonzalez practiced law in San Antonio for sixty-two years.

Otto “Skip” Good died in February at the age of 73. Good was born in Middletown, Pennsylvania. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky. He earned his law degree from St. Mary’s University. Good was recognized as a superlative attorney in the areas of commercial litigation and insurance law. He practiced with Shaddox Compere Walraven & Good for twenty-seven years, and with Langley & Banack, Inc. for sixteen years.

Skip Good was a respected trial lawyer of the “old school” variety. Trained by the best at Groce, Locke and Hebdon, he left in 1980 and, with his friends and partners, started what would become Shaddox, Compere, Walraven & Good, PC, one of the first boutique litigation firms in San Antonio. Skip was distinguished for his academic mind (he literally memorized the law) and for his prowess in the courtroom. He was also an excellent mentor, sparing no words, actions, or red pencil in making new lawyers understand the errors of their ways. Skip also provided equal opportunity for women lawyers at a time when this was not the norm. Under his tutelage, women became independent, capable, and caring trial lawyers. Skip was loyal and would stand in the line of fire to protect his team, including staff. Skip was entertaining and could regale all with his trial stories, whether winning or losing the issue at hand. He always had these reassuring words: “If you’re not getting hit, you aren’t trying enough cases. If you aren’t getting hit BIG, you aren’t trying big enough cases. Welcome to the Club.” Skip was gruff and grumpy, but a Teddy Bear inside. He will be sorely missed.

—Linda S. McDonald, Ruben Valadez, Ian McLin

Prentis Otis Hibler died in April at the age of 83. Hibler was a native of Houston. He attended West Columbia High School where he was both student council president and salutatorian of his graduating class. He received his undergraduate degree in business administration and his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He began his law career at Cox & Smith and later opened his own civil litigation practice. After retiring from the practice, Hibler served on the Board of the National Bit Spur and Saddle Collectors Association for sixteen years and travelled to auctions throughout the western United States.

Marisa Huerta died in April at the age of 54. Huerta was born in Freeport, Texas. She received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a doctorate degree in English literature from Brown University. She held several academic positions before attending Rutgers University School of Law in Camden, New Jersey. She graduated in 2020. Huerta was an attorney with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at the time of her death.

John E. Murphy died in September at the age of 75. A native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Murphy earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from St. Mary’s University. Murphy began his legal career with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington in 1973 and enjoyed a long career as a trial attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. Murphy was the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District for more than twenty years and served as U.S. Attorney for the District from 2009-2011.

I had the privilege of knowing John Murphy for most of his career. “Murphy,” as he was known by most of us, was an excellent attorney and prosecutor. He was very good at evaluating the facts of a case and organizing it for presentation in court. It was a thrill to see him cross-examine a criminal defendant. Murphy was well known for his sarcastic wit that we all loved. He was a mentor to the younger prosecutors who followed him in the United States Attorney’s Office. Murphy was a very competent supervisor and staff manager. He knew his personnel well and how to delegate the workload according to their strengths and weaknesses. Above all, John was a dear friend, respected by all.

—Edward C. Prado

Marian McDaniel Musser died in October at the age of 86. The Wichita Falls native received her undergraduate education at the University of North Texas and Texas Christian University. She received her law degree from St. Mary’s University in 1977 at a time when women were in the minority in law. She served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas.

Joseph Weaver Russell died in June at the age of 77. Russell received his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1967. Upon graduation he enrolled at the Law School but was soon drafted into the Army. He returned to Austin in 1970 to complete his studies. Russell was a member of the Editorial Board of the Texas Law Review and served as Briefing Attorney for Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Calvert and Justice Sam Johnson. He worked with several firms prior to his founding, in 2002, the firm of J.W. Russell PC where he practiced law with his son.

William Schmidt died in August at the age of 86. Schmidt received his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1963. He practiced law in San Antonio for more than sixty years, with an emphasis on real estate, estate planning, and probate matters.

David Schneider died in January at the age of 66. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and was the son of a university professor. Consequently, he lived in many places during his youth and ultimately settled in Texas. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He received his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1981. Schneider joined the family oil and gas business, Olsen Energy, as Vice President, and had a successful career in the oil and gas industry.

Hugh Lappé Scott, Jr. died in June at the age of 72. Scott was a native of New Orleans. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a degree in German. He received his law degree from St. Mary’s University. Following graduation, Scott and his wife moved to Houston, where he worked for Exxon. They later returned to San Antonio, where Scott continued his work in the oil and gas industry.

Jay Willard Silberman died in June at the age of 84. Silberman received a degree in Business Administration from Northwestern University in 1960 and his law degree from DePaul University College in 1966. He practiced law in Chicago for many years before moving to San Antonio in 1983. He did not practice law in San Antonio. Rather, he owned and managed The Inn at Turtle Creek and, with his wife, opened Cruise Consultants, a business that booked cruise vacations and land tours.

David Charles Spoor died in May at the age of 84. Spoor was born in Houston and graduated from Lamar High School. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. In 1963, Spoor began his legal career with Cox & Smith in San Antonio and made partner in 1968. Spoor served as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and became Head of the Real Estate practice group until his (first) retirement in 1995. After leaving the firm, Spoor served as an officer and General Counsel for the Cancer Therapy and Research Center for four years. Thereafter, he returned to Cox & Smith as a member of its Health Care practice group until his second retirement in 2004.

Pauline Billings Stout died in August at the age of 97. Stout was born in 1925 in Choctaw County, Oklahoma. After high school, Stout moved to San Antonio and married U.S. Army Air Corps M.P. David Massengale at Kelly Field Chapel in 1942. She worked during the day and attended classes at St. Mary’s University at night. She received her undergraduate degree in 1967, passed the CPA exam, and continued attending night courses at St. Mary’s Law School. She received her law degree in 1973 and was admitted to the Bar in 1974. Stout practiced until she was 93, with an emphasis on tax, tax return preparation, wills, and probate.

Joseph William Taylor died in May at the age of 71. Taylor was born in Uvalde, grew up in Crystal City, and lived in San Antonio for thirty-four years. He was a graduate of Southwestern University and received his law degree from the University of Houston. He practiced law in South Texas until his death. His counsel was sought in matters of real estate and oil and gas by both his clients and the many attorneys in the state who counted him as one of their friends. He was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, the Texas Cavaliers, the Order of the Alamo, the German Club, and the Sons of the Republic.

Richard Earl Tinsman died in July at the age of 89. Tinsman was born in Detroit. His family moved to San Antonio when he was a teen. Tinsman graduated from Alamo Heights High School and received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He entered the practice of law in 1957 and earned the nickname “Tiger” for his aggressive approach in the representation of his clients.

It was 1981, and I was being courted to join the firm of Tinsman and Houser. Fresh out of St. Mary’s Law School, I was excited to meet the name partner, Richard Tinsman. It was a beautiful, blue-sky day, and we were seated at Casa Rio restaurant overlooking the picturesque San Antonio River. As I was talking with Bob Scott, out of the corner of my eye I saw a man with red hair approaching. He wore the brightest “grabber blue” leisure suit I had ever seen! It didn’t take long to recognize Mr. Tinsman was highly intelligent and that no subject was off the table. The interview wrapped up with what was NOT acceptable. Dick said he thought I would make a great addition to the firm and raced back to the courthouse. After Dick left, Bob Scott asked, “Well, what do you think about Mr. Tinsman?” “Truthfully, sir, I like him! He is highly intelligent and unafraid to ask anything. But boy, is he eccentric!” I added. Bob smiled and agreed, “Yes, he is!” Forty-three years later, it’s now Tinsman & Sciano, and another of my good friends and partners is gone. Known for his passion for his clients, Dick was an admired trial stalwart. A quote by Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Mr. Tinsman, Mr. T, Dick, “Tiger” Tinsman— old friend, you did you well!

—Daniel J. T. Sciano

Eugene P. “Gene” Toscano died in February at the age of 89. Toscano attended St. Mary’s University on a music scholarship and graduated with a degree in English in 1954. He was an accomplished trumpet player, playing both professionally and during his years of military service (1955–1957). He received his law degree from St. Mary’s University in 1961. He founded the law firm Gene Toscano, Inc, in 1965 on San Antonio’s westside. He practiced for fifty-seven years before his retirement in 2018.

Blayne Scott Tucker died in late December of 2022, at the age of 42. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and his law degree from Texas A&M University (formerly Texas Wesleyan). His life and career centered on championing musicians and musical venues. He was one of the owners of The Mix, a North St. Mary’s Street music venue, and was instrumental in securing financial support for struggling music venues crippled by the pandemic.

Bertram Oliver Wood died in June at the age of 71. Wood was born in Monahans. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his law degree from St. Mary’s University Law School. He practiced for forty years as a criminal defense attorney.