Sam Winters

August 30, 2019

Today in Austin it will be 99 with a low of 73.  The average is 93/72

We are 242 days into the year, 123 days until next year. 

 “If a man's from Texas, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him by asking? – John Gunther (8/30/1901 – 5/29/1970)

John Gunther (8/30/1901 – 5/29/1970)

   

            Gunther was born in 1901 in the Lakeview district of Chicago and grew up on the North Side of the city. He was the first child of a German-American family: his father was Eugene Guenther, a traveling salesman, and his mother was Lizette Schoeninger Guenther.

During World War I, the family changed the spelling of its name from Guenther to Gunther to avoid having an obviously-German name.

In 1922, he was awarded a Bachelor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago, where he was literary editor of the student paper.

He worked briefly in the city as a reporter for the Chicago Daily News, but he soon moved to Europe to be a correspondent with the Daily News London Bureau, where he covered Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East.

Gunther met Frances Fineman in London in 1925 and the two were married in 1927. Until 1936, they worked together (Frances as a foreign correspondent for London's News Chronicle) throughout Europe. Gunther wrote, "I was at one time or another in charge of Daily News offices in London, Berlin, Vienna, Moscow, Rome, and Paris, and I also visited Poland, Spain, the Balkans, and Scandinavia. I have worked in every European country except Portugal. I saw at first hand the whole extraordinary panorama of Europe from 1924 to 1936." In Vienna, Gunther worked alongside a group of English-speaking central European correspondents that included Marcel Fodor, Dorothy Thompson, Robert Best, and George Eric Rowe Gedye.

Gunther later described those years as

the bubbling, blazing days of American foreign correspondence in Europe. ... Most of us traveled steadily, met constantly, exchanged information, caroused, took in each other's washing, and, even when most fiercely competitive, were devoted friends. ... We were scavengers, buzzards, out to get the news, no matter whose wings got clipped.

Gunther's experiences as a journalist in interwar Vienna formed the basis for his novel The Lost City (1964).

His research and the contacts that Gunther developed as a reporter also led directly to the first of the Inside books, Inside Europe, which was intended by Gunther to summarize the European political situation for the general reader. With the success of the Inside books starting in the late 1930s, Gunther resigned his position to devote his full-time to the books. During World War II, he worked as a war correspondent in Europe.

The Gunthers had two children: Judy, who died in 1929 before the age of 1, and John, Jr. (Johnny), who was born in 1929 and died in 1947 of a brain tumor. The Gunthers divorced in 1944.

Gunther married Jane Perry Vandercook in 1948; the two adopted a son.

Gunther died of liver cancer in 1970.

Hurricane Dorian

            Currently predicted to be a possible Cat 4 when it makes landfall.  I wonder what all the ministers who said that Harvey was the penalty to Houston for it being a “Liberal” city will say about Dorian.  It is currently on a collision course with Mar A Lago…makes you scratch your head. Just saying.

Sam Winters (7/7/1922 – 8/29/2019)

            One of the last of the Lions as I considered them.  He was a real gentleman, who like my Father in Law, was always dressed to the nines.  I will always remember him giving a tie to one of my groomsmen at a pre wedding.  The joke was always there is casual and then there is Winter’s casual (Coat and tie, not a suit).  He will be missed very much.

Sam Winters was born as John Samuel Winters in Amarillo, Texas on July 7, 1922. His parents were Guydelle Vineyard Winters and John Howard Winters – both from pioneer Texas families. He is predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy R. Winters, daughter Jane Rushing Winters and grandson, Walter Max Mischer, III. He is survived by his daughter, Leila Mischer, son-in-law, Walter Mischer, Jr., granddaughter, Lawson Mischer, granddaughter, Morgan Mischer Warth and husband Lucas Warth, and great grandson, Tate Warth, Max's wife, Sarah Mischer, mother of great granddaughters Molly Mischer and Mary Campbell Mischer. He attended the public schools of Amarillo and Amarillo College where he was selected as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1996. He attended The University of Texas at Austin where he was selected as an Outstanding Student in 1944. He was active on campus as a member of Silver Spurs and President of Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity. He received B.A. and J.D. degrees in 1944 and 1948 respectively. He was a member of the Naval ROTC and received a commission as an Ensign in the Navy upon graduation in February 1944. During World War II, he served in the Asiatic Pacific campaign aboard a destroyer, the USS Isherwood (DDS520), at the invasion of the Philippine Islands at Leyte Gulf, Lingayen Gulf and Subic Bay as well as the invasion of Okinawa where the ship, while serving as a radar picket ship, was badly damaged by a Japanese suicide plane with many lives lost. He was honored with two Philippine Liberation battle stars and four Asiatic Pacific battle stars.

Mr. Winters was a named partner of the distinguished Austin law firm Clark, Thomas & Winters and served as President of the Travis County Bar Association (now the Austin Bar Association). During his career, Mr. Winters served his community and profession in many capacities. He was chair of the Texas Research League; member of the board of directors of First Interstate Bank-Texas (now Wells Fargo); chair of the board of National Bank of Commerce; a founder of Campfire USA Balcones Council; member of the American Law Institute; chair of the Public Utility Communication and Transportation Section of the American Bar Association; Fellow of the American Bar Foundation; Charter Member and Life Fellow of the Philosophical Society of Texas; Fleet Admiral of Austin Admirals Club; Senior Warden of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd-Austin; and, member of the Executive Board of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and chair of its Finance Department; member, board of Junior Achievement; member Panhandle Plains Historical Society. In 1967 he was appointed a member of the original National Highway Safety Advisory Committee by President Lyndon B. Johnson where he acted as chair and in 1991 was appointed to the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service by President George H. W. Bush where he served for nine years and served as chair for three years. He was a former member of the Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee. He was a life member of the University of Texas Development Board and was chosen as a member of the Hall of Fame by the University of Texas Silver Spurs. Mr. Winters was honored with the Raymond Mauk Leadership Award by the Insurance Council of Texas for significant contributions to the Texas Property and Casualty Insurance Industry. He was also honored with the Award of Distinguished Merit by the Texas Association of Life and Health Insurers for his contributions to the life and health insurance industry. He was a member of the Public Utility Commission at Texas (PUCAT) (currently the Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section of the Public Utility Commission).

Sam Winters was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He had many valued friends and colleagues. His family depended on him as a solid and enduring source of comfort. His friends and family will always remember his smile and laughter. The family would like to recognize the numerous people who have given him assistance in every aspect of his life. Our deepest gratitude to the family's long time friend, Kay Brumley, who has been a dear friend and constant companion of Sam; special thanks to Dottie Mathews, Mr. Winters' executive assistant for many years, and Patti O'Meara and the entire staff of Personal Administrators. In particular, the family expresses their appreciation for the unwavering dedication and service that Rebecca and Alan Hedges and their family members have given Mr. Winters over the years. We are extremely grateful to Jennifer Myers for her incredible friendship as well as her nursing care.

He lived life to the fullest. He will be missed.

AI Powered Cameras

In the USA we have continued to add more and more cameras connected to central hubs that monitor our front porches, traffic lights, ATM’s etc.  Now with the power of computers and facial recognition we are giving away our privacy. 

Boy Scouts and sex abuse lawsuits

          I was an active scout parent and leader.  The facts coming out are terrifying.  I have distanced myself from the Scouts since 2017 when Trump spoke at Jamboree and made it a political stump speech.  One DT was never a boy scout and he used profanity (A scout is Reverent) in front of about 40,000 12-17 year old young men. That fact that the Boy Scout Council did nothing is what upset me the most.

            The lawsuits are going to destroy the organization.  While it upsets me, I also understand the BSA council has not always stood up and taken action.  What do you do?

The Sum Up

            The A/C is still working!!!!  Today a different AC company came and replaced the AC drain pan float.  The voltage went from a weak 14-16 to a strong and steady 25.2.  Believe the problem may be addressed.  Stay Tuned. The University of Texas kickoff is 1 days away and I am beside myself with excitement!

That’s all for today sports fans.