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Doyle Willis

Doyle Willis

Full Name: Doyle Henry Willis, Sr.
Date of birth: August 18, 1907
Date of death: June 22, 2006

Terms of Service

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
H 90 Jan 10, 1995 - Jan 14, 1997 74th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 90 Jan 12, 1993 - Jan 10, 1995 73rd   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 90 Jan 8, 1991 - Jan 12, 1993 72nd   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 90 Jan 10, 1989 - Jan 8, 1991 71st   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 90 Jan 13, 1987 - Jan 10, 1989 70th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 90 Jan 8, 1985 - Jan 13, 1987 69th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 90 Jan 11, 1983 - Jan 8, 1985 68th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 32-F Jan 13, 1981 - Jan 11, 1983 67th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 32-F Jan 9, 1979 - Jan 13, 1981 66th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 32-F Jan 11, 1977 - Jan 9, 1979 65th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 32-9 Jan 14, 1975 - Jan 11, 1977 64th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 32-9 Jan 9, 1973 - Jan 14, 1975 63rd   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 52-6 Jan 14, 1969 - Jan 12, 1971 61st   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
S 10 Jan 10, 1961 - Jan 8, 1963 57th (1) (2)   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant Senate President Pro Tempore (57th)   Tarrant
S 10 Jan 8, 1957 - Jan 10, 1961 56th   55th (3)   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
S 10 Jan 13, 1953 - Jan 8, 1957 54th   53rd (4)   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 101-3 Jan 9, 1951 - Jan 13, 1953 52nd   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 101-3 Jan 11, 1949 - Jan 9, 1951 51st   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant
H 101-3 Jan 14, 1947 - Jan 11, 1949 50th   Democrat Fort Worth / Tarrant   Tarrant

Terms of service footnotes


(1) 57th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, 2nd C.S., elected 8/11/1961. Senate Journal.
(2) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1962 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators.
(3) Lawyer, farmer. "55th Texas Legislature: 20 Senators, 62 Representatives of 55th Legislature Are Lawyers; Other Legislators Have Varied Occupations, Jobs," Volume 20, Number 1, January 1957, pp. 6, 7, 48. Texas Bar Journal.
(4) 53rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/14/1953, pp. 16-17. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.

Terms of Service

Legislatures:
74th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
73rd  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
72nd  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
71st  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
70th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
69th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
68th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
67th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
66th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
65th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
64th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
63rd  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
61st  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
57th (1) (2)  
Leadership role:
Senate President Pro Tempore (57th)
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
56th   55th (3)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
54th   53rd (4)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
52nd  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
51st  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Legislatures:
50th  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Fort Worth / Tarrant
Counties in district:
Tarrant

Terms of service notes


(1) 57th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, 2nd C.S., elected 8/11/1961. Senate Journal.
(2) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1962 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators.
(3) Lawyer, farmer. "55th Texas Legislature: 20 Senators, 62 Representatives of 55th Legislature Are Lawyers; Other Legislators Have Varied Occupations, Jobs," Volume 20, Number 1, January 1957, pp. 6, 7, 48. Texas Bar Journal.
(4) 53rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/14/1953, pp. 16-17. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.

Biographical Information

  • Obituary, funeral articles, photos, and guestbook, Doyle Henry Willis:
    "Feisty 'Dean' of Texas Politics, WWII Veteran," 6/23/2006, p. 7B.
    Obituary, Doyle Henry Willis, 6/24/2006, p. 11B. "[Doyle] Willis served with his brother, Phillip . . . They were the first brothers to serve together in the Texas House of Representatives." Doyle Willis was "known as the dean of the Texas Legislature."
    "At Our Service," Editorial, 6/24/2006, p. 12B.
    "The Insider: Colleagues Honor Political Icon," 6/25/2006, p. 4B.
    "Big Farewell: Late Lawmaker Doyle Willis Honored as Champion of the Underdog, 6/27/2006, pp. 1B, 6B. "In all, he served 42 years, the second-longest tenure in Texas history."
    "Working-class Texans Honor Grit and Tenacity of Loyal Old Friend," 6/27/2006, pp. 1B, 6B. Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • Memorial biographical sketch and photo, birth date 8/18/1907. A State of Remembrance, 2007.

  • Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1975.
  • Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1973.
  • Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1995.

Committee Information

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House Committees

Senate Committees

Joint Committees

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