Larry Shirts, Lone Star College–North Harris, passed away January 19 in Houston. A professor of political science, he was president of TCCTA in 1988-89 and served in a variety of leadership positions, including as campus representative for his school for many years. Larry is remembered fondly by all who knew him.
Friends are invited to a reception on Sunday, January 23, 2011 from one o’clock until three o’clock in the afternoon at the Bradshaw-Carter Home, 1734 West Alabama Street.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Fund, 8334 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77054 or contact Candace Sigust 713-667-1113.
A personal note:
As TCCTA president in 1988, Larry Shirts appointed me as chair of the Legislative Committee, a moment that served as an initiation into TCCTA activism and fellowship. I had served previously on another committee, but frankly didn’t get much out of it. I was ready to move on.
But Larry said, hey, it would be fun. And it was.
In those days we were determined to choke off the “downward expansion” of upper-division (at the time) universities to include freshman and sophomore courses—our turf, as we saw it. We lost every fight, in every venue, probably making fools of ourselves.
I wouldn’t change the experience for anything. “Let’s go pass some laws!” we would say, on the way to the Capitol. “We showed them!” we would announce (or words to that effect), after losing a committee vote, say 15-0.
If Larry had a weakness back then, it concerned a pesky concept known as “time.” He was famously late, so chronologically challenged that he deserved his own charity telethon. Many seasoned TCCTA leaders recall his frantic dash to the IRS office in Austin to deliver overdue tax returns before closing time, squeezing crinkled papers into the giant door as it drew shut, eventually shoving a suspicious-looking envelope into the trembling hand of a frightened custodian. There are other memories, all smile-worthy.
To my regret, I have not seen Larry in several years, but recall him as an American patriot, properly understood. He was involved in the political scene in his adopted hometown of Houston, and interested in the nuts and bolts of neighborhood organization. He was optimistic, tolerant of knuckleheads, and believed in popular democracy. Here in Texas, that's a lot of heavy lifting.
Larry endured more than his share of tough breaks, and died much too young. But he was never cynical or mean-spirited, as I recollect. We sure could use him right now.
—Scott Nelson
Comments