WILLIAM R. LUMMIS
1929-2017
William R. Lummis died on Monday, the 17th of April 2017. He was born in Houston, Texas on the 20th of February 1929, to Annette Gano Lummis and Dr. Frederick Rice Lummis. He attended River Oaks Elementary and Sidney Lanier Junior High School and went on to attend the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating in 1947. His Freshman and Sophomore years in college were spent at Rice Institute, following which he transferred to the University of Texas in Austin, receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1951 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1953.
Following his graduation from law school, William returned to Houston and joined the firm now known as Andrews Kurth Kenyon where he practiced law for 23 years becoming a senior partner and member of the firm’s management committee.
In 1976, following the death of Howard R. Hughes, Jr., he left the law firm and moved to Las Vegas to become the administrator of the Estate of Mr. Hughes and Chairman of the Boards of Directors and Chief Executive Officers of The Howard Hughes Corporation and the other principal Hughes Estate businesses including the Hughes Corporation, Hughes Properties, Inc., Hughes Helicopters, Inc. and Hughes Airwest.
In 1990, he retired as Chief Executive Officer of the remaining Hughes Estate Companies and moved back to Houston. He continued to serve as Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the various Hughes enterprises until June, 1996 when they were acquired by The Rouse Company.
He was a member of Houston Country Club, Eagle Lake Rod and Gun Club, Bayou Club of Houston, Old Baldy Club of Saratoga, Wyoming, Riverhill County Club of Kerrville, Texas, the Tournament Players Club of Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada, Conquistadores del Cielo, Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, Allegro, and Texas Corinthian Yacht Club.
His professional organizations included various Bar Associations, the Urban Land Institute and the Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He also served on the Board of Directors of Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. in Houston, Texas and as a founding Trustee of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
He was also a past director of Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc., The Rouse Company, Nevada Power Company, Republic Airlines Inc., Texas American Bancshares Inc., Texas American Bank/Galleria, Southern National Bank Houston and Nassau Bay National Bank of Houston.
He enjoyed the outdoors, in particular, bird hunting with friends and family, sailing and golf. His home in Hunt, Texas was also a favorite get away for many years.
In 1951, William married Frances Bradley, also a native Houstonian who passed away in May, 2002. They had four sons, ten grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. In June, 2003 William married Doris Fondren Allday, who passed away in December, 2015. William is also predeceased by his parents, his brother Dr. Frederick Rice Lummis, Jr. and his sisters Allene Lummis Russell and Annette Lummis Neff.
William is survived by his children, Frederick Rice Lummis II and wife Claudia, Palmer Bradley Lummis and wife Gaylord, William Rice Lummis Jr., and Ransom Clark Lummis and wife Isabel and by his step-children, Robert Edwin Allday and wife Francey Pengra, Walter Fondren Allday, son-in-law Weldon Marshall Yates and wife Ellen, Jeanette Allday Thomas and husband Jeff, and Ellanor Allday Camberg and husband Roy.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Frederick Rice Lummis III and wife Amanda, Daniel Ross Lummis and wife Rene, Benjamin Nicholas Lummis, Katherine Merrill Lummis, Anne Lummis Wright and husband Doug, Palmer Bradley Lummis Jr. and wife Mallory, Frances Ann Lummis, Louisa Rice Lummis, Margarett Brown Lummis, and Virginia Isabel Lummis, and by his step-grandchilren, Eugene Perrin Allday, Blake Carlton Allday and wife Taylor, Mirenda Yates Scarantino and husband Jesse, Ellanor Yates Cook and husband Brett, Emily Whitaker Chambers, William Zachary Chambers, Emily Yates Incerto and husband Patrick, Jeff Burke Thomas, Jr., Mary Catherine Thomas, Richard Bradley Beard, Jr. and wife Lindsey, Adelaide Fondren Beard, and William Dorey Beard; and by numerous great grandchildren and step-great grandchildren.
The family wishes to thank Gail Nixon, Dr. Alan Hoffman MD, Wael Nassar, James Brewer, Curt Ewald and Ivory Holliday for their many years of dedicated service and extraordinary care to William.
Those honored to serve as ceremonial casket bearers are James A. Baker III, George C. Francisco III, Wallace S. Wilson and F. Carrington Weems.
The memorial service is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 20th of April, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held at a venue to be announced during the service.
Prior to the memorial service the family will have gathered for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in William’s name may be directed towards the charity of one’s choice.