Patrick Cunningham Oxford

Patrick Cunningham Oxford, 79, passed away in his home on the morning of the 13th of February 2022, surrounded by love. He was inspired by his Catholic faith to live a life of service to others: service to his country, state and city, to his clients and colleagues, to his friends and family and to his church. He was a happy man. A compassionate man.

Patrick was born in Beaumont, Texas, the son of Hubert Oxford II and Virginia Cunningham Oxford. He attended catholic schools in Beaumont, graduating from St. Anthony’s Catholic High School. He grew up playing football and baseball and working for his father’s business, Oxford Building Materials. His love of baseball never faded. His friends and family cherished and appreciated his knowledge of the game, its history and his ability to make analogies of many situations in life or business to the game of baseball.

Patrick attended the University of Texas at Austin and received a B.B.A. with honors in 1966 and a J.D. with honors in 1967. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and the Texas Cowboys. At UT law school he was Managing Editor of the Texas Law Review and a member of the Friar Society. Many of Patrick’s deepest friendships began at The University of Texas and lasted the rest of his life. After graduating he continued to serve the University and the Law School in various capacities and on many committees. He was honored to serve on the Board of Regents from 1997 to 2003. Patrick also served as Chairman of the Health Affairs Committee that oversaw the operations of six health institutions of the University of Texas System.

Patrick Oxford joined the firm of Bracewell & Patterson (now Bracewell LLP) and became its 13th partner in 1973. There he worked in various practice areas, ultimately specializing in a business transactional practice, focusing on real estate, energy and banking. He served as Managing Partner and lead the firm’s opening of the New York City office.

Pat took pride and great interest in recruiting and mentoring young lawyers in their careers and providing steady counsel to clients and colleagues. He cared, genuinely. He was a brilliant lawyer, as a teacher and mentor he was a natural. Mentoring youth of all ages gave him great joy. His influence will live on in all those who learned from him.

Patrick believed that Houston’s business leaders had an obligation to further the success of the city. He took an active role in many civic and business organizations. He worked with the Greater Houston Partnership, serving as Chairman and as a Board Member Emeritus. He also served on the boards of various medical and research institutions. He was Vice Chairman of Texas Medical Center, Inc., which later recognized Patrick as Chairman Emeritus in 2020. He served on the Advisory Board of the Kinder institute for Urban Research at Rice University and on the Board of the Kinder Institute for Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri.

Patrick believed deeply in the ideals set forth in the founding of our country and in our constitutional system. He twice served as statewide Chairman for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s campaigns. He was a leader with the gubernatorial and presidential campaigns of George W. Bush. Also providing counsel for many other statewide and local officeholders in Texas. Beyond his many hours serving candidates that he believed would improve our city, state and country, perhaps his most personal expression of his belief in the United States, its system of government and its values was reflected in the eloquent and thought-provoking email letters he sent annually to the entire Bracewell family on the 4th of July and Thanksgiving.

Pat was a man of deep faith. He believed that faith was a gift. He attended Mass daily at St. Anne’s Catholic Church and served as a Eucharistic Minister and CCE teacher. He also participated in educational and service ministries for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. His desire to serve others never diminished. He made a genuine connection with people and remembered the stories and dreams of so many. His conversations often ended with one earnest question. Is there anything I can do to help you?

He had an unparalleled sense of humor and was a skilled raconteur with an uncanny ability to deliver the perfect punch line to his stories. He had great intellectual capacity and curiosity, especially regarding political and historical issues. He was truly a man for all seasons. His sense of humor shined through to his last days, as did his grace and elegance. In fact, it grew. His sweetness, palpable.

Patrick is survived by his, “Katie Bell,” wife of thirty-two years, his daughters, Elizabeth Pagan and Virginia Fleming, his sons-in-law Greer Pagan and Lee Fleming, his grandson and pride and joy Charlie Pagan, his brothers Hubert Oxford III and Denis Oxford, his sister Virginia Thompson, his sister-in-law Canice Garth and her husband David, his brothers-in-law Kit Herrington and Tommy Herrington, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Mary Englander.

The family is deeply appreciative of the care given by Dr. Gustavo Roman, Dr. Martin Poliak, Olivia Kim and Wayne McPherson.

Sincere thanks to caregivers, Ana Bercian, Ivan De Mesa, Dorca Flores, Jesse Guzman, Janeth Hinojosa, Carlos Linares, Vilma Martinez, Liseth Molina, Jorge Montes, Xenia Morales, Rosie Paz, Johnny Peralta, Andrea Pillar, Evelyn Rojas, Margy Sproule and Mimi Tejada. Most especially, Liliana R. Montes. Thank you for your love and labor.

Heartfelt thanks to Flo Crady, Sally Farley, Scott McCool, Rhonda Sue Walker and Jennifer Weston. Special thanks to Patrick’s dear friends Nancy and Rich Kinder.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Patrick from four o’clock in the afternoon until six o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, the 23rd of February 2022, at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A Memorial Service is to be conducted at half-past one o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 24th of February 2022, at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer Road in Houston. For those unable to attend the service, virtual attendance may be accessed by visiting Mr. Oxford’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the "Join Livestream" icon on the service section.

(Kindly Note: Parking for the memorial service will be located in the St. Anne’s Catholic Church parking garage, which may be accessed off Westheimer Road and Kingston Drive, traffic control officers will be positioned so as to direct attendees).

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent St. Basil Hall.

Serving as honorary pallbearers are J. P. Bryan, Sam Burford, Dan Connolly, Stephen Crain, Cleland Dade, Rhew Dooley, Lee Fleming, Kelly Frels, Clifford Gunter III, Kit Herrington, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Rich Kinder, Scott McCool, Crady Newton, Denis Oxford, Hubert Oxford III, Charlie Pagan, Greer Pagan and Carlton Wilde.

The family will gather at later date for a private interment at Magnolia Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in his name be directed to the Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory, Rev. T.J. Martinez, S.J., Education Fund, 6700 Mt. Carmel Drive, Houston, Texas 77087; Greater Houston Community Foundation, 515 Post Oak Boulevard Suite 1000, Houston, Texas 77027; Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030; or the Patrick C. Oxford Scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin, P.O. Box 7458, Austin, Texas 78713.