A great deal has been written in memory of Ambassador Teel Bivins, who passed away last week after a long illness.  He was 61, and, as his friend Karl Rove noted in the memorial service, “we were denied the fullness of his life.”

And we were. Teel lived his life with complete passion and enthusiasm but it was cut short and Texas, while better for his service, was denied his continued influence and zest for life.

One writer in particular captured the essence of his service, and I’d like to share it with you.  Bill McKenzie didn’t know Bivins particularly well, at least not on a personal level, so his writing captures the public view of the man’s service.  Calling him one of the ‘four horsemen’ of the Texas Senate, he says Bivins served with skill and grace.  I have to agree with that.