I am saddened by the passing of my good friend Teel Bivins, who died this week of a particularly heinous disease which robbed this brilliant man of control of his limbs, but his mind, I can attest, was sharp to the end.

We visited just a few weeks ago and talked at length about politics, policy and life.

We laughed about time we spent on his beloved ranch hunting quail and entertaining senators and policymakers from around the country.  He was a crack shot and loved hunting with his brothers, Tom and Mark.  I was mostly along for the ride as the junior-most participant whose primary role was to organize the attendees and make sure we had lunch prepared – a particular soul food restaurant in North Amarillo would prepare the seasoned fried chicken, and I’d swing by to pick it up on the way to the ranch.

We laughed about the time spent in his Suburban traveling the High Plains from one county to the next – each claiming to have the best chicken fried steak.  They seldom did.

We talked politics and the current race for governor here in Texas. He was keenly tuned into its developments.

We talked about our kids and how much we each loved ours sons and daughter.

When I worked for Teel, He was a freshman member of the Texas Senate and he approached the job with zeal and an open mind for meeting the state’s policy needs.  He became one of the most influential members of the Texas Senate and, because his friend George W. Bush was running for President, he became an extremely effective political operative in Iowa, Michigan and New Hampshire.  Bush named him Ambassador to Sweden.

But the Ambassador’s heart was always in Texas.

He loved Texas and service to Texans more the life itself.   Given his family’s fortune, he could have chosen virtually any path for his life and been considered a success.  He chose to enter the arena of public service and always – in every instance – sought the best path for Texas and those who were less fortunate.

He would end the speeches that I wrote for him by quoting his friend the former Lt. Governor of Texas Bob Bullock by saying, “…and may God Bless Texas.”

And may God bless you Teel Bivins.