JAMIE H. CLEMENTS

December 9, 1930 - February 26, 2009

Texas lost a favorite son with the passing of Jamie H. Clements on February 26, 2009.

Jamie was general counsel for Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas, for nearly 40 years. He served in the Texas Legislature for three terms in the 1950s and as Mayor of Temple in the early 1970s. He had leadership roles on numerous boards and commissions at the state and local level, including Chairman of the Texas Department of Public Welfare, and on a national level, co-founded the National Health Lawyers Association and served as its president.  Jamie was a dedicated alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas School of Law and was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1999.

Born in Crockett, Texas, in 1930 to Neal and Alberta (Hager) Clements, Jamie and his older brother, Neal Woodson, attended Crockett High School, where Jamie was captain of the football team.

Jamie enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin the following year and was active on campus all four years. He joined Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, was a Silver Spur, and served on the intra-fraternity council and other student organizations. He graduated with honors in 1952 and entered the School of Law the following semester.

While still in law school, Jamie was elected a State Representative from the district covering Crockett and Huntsville. He was called the "baby of the house" when sworn in at the age of 21 -- the youngest person ever to serve in the Texas Legislature. He served two terms while completing law school in 1955, then served a third and final term in 1958-59.

In 1956, Jamie joined the United States Marine Corps and entered officer candidate school. He became a combat infantry officer and was assigned to the legal division while stationed at El Toro Marine Corp Air Station in California.

Jamie moved to Temple in 1960 to join the development office of Scott & White Hospital. After helping Scott & White move into new facilities, he was named general counsel for the Hospital, a position he held until his retirement in 1998. He unretired shortly thereafter when he began working part-time at the Scott & White Health Plan, then retired for good in 2001.

Jamie poured his heart and soul into Scott & White and become close friends with many of the physicians and professionals on staff.  He also focused his attention on the city of Temple, serving on the City Planning Commission, the City Council, and then as Mayor from 1970 to 1974. He played an active role in the Texas Municipal League, as well, and was elected its president. Jamie's civic involvement extended to the Temple Chamber of Commerce and Bell-Lampasas-Mills Counties Bar Association, both of which he served as president, and numerous other local civic and professional groups. Throughout his career, Jamie was very active in Texas state politics and government and was fully devoted to his beloved alma mater, the University of Texas. He was a President's Associate and member of the UT Centennial Commission, Executive Committee of the Chancellor's Council, the Eyes of Texas Foundation, UT Athletic Foundation, and the Keeton Fellows of the School of Law. And he loved nothing better than to watch the Longhorns play football, and win.

Jamie's ultimate devotion was to his family. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Ann, three children, Jamie Jr. and his wife Diana, Susan Negley, and Cindy Volter and her husband Chuck, and his eleven grandchildren, William, Ashley, Jamie, Madison, Suzanne, Austen, Noe, Carolina, Hannah, Samuel and Rhett.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday March 2, 2009 at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday March 2, 2009 at the Grace Presbyterian Church in Temple. Dr. Thomas Allen and Dr. Ralph Person will officiate at the services.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Scott & White Hospital Development Department 2401 South 31st Street Temple, Texas 76508 or to the Presbyterian Children's Homes of Texas, 4407 Bee Cave Road, Suite 520, Austin, Texas, 78746-6496.