W. Dalton Tomlin

William Dalton Tomlin was born in Cleburne, Texas, on the 15th of January 1938, and died on the 23rd day of February 2010. During his twenty month struggle with cancer, he never lost his optimism or sense of humor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, the late Clarence Edward Tomlin and Sara Frances Tomlin, and his nephew, Kevin Ross Shupack. He is survived by his wife of thirty seven years, Sharron Elaine Tomlin; his son, Damon Austin Tomlin of Princeton, New Jersey; his sister, Sheila Tomlin Shupack and husband Harold of Weston, Connecticut; and his brother, Richard Alan Tomlin and wife Connie of Houston, Texas. He is also survived by a niece, Shannon Shupack Corcoran; and three nephews, Ian Scott Shupack, Homer Ross Tomlin and David Dalton Tomlin.

Dalton attended public schools in Fort Worth, Texas, graduating from R. L. Paschal High School. He had the highest regard for the Fort Worth public school teachers and credited them with encouraging broad intellectual pursuits.

He received his B.S. in Commerce from TCU. While there, he served on the Student Council, and was a member and Grand Master of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He then attended the University of Texas School of Law, was an editor of the Texas Law Review, was selected as Chancellor, and received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, with High Honors, in 1963. Having received a fellowship from Harvard Law School, he spent the 1963-64 scholastic year in Cambridge and received his LL.M. degree.

After Harvard, Dalton returned to Houston, and joined the Vinson, Elkins, Weems and Searls (now Vinson & Elkins) law firm, becoming a partner in January of 1970. He practiced federal tax law for about thirteen years, and then became a litigator for the balance of his tenure with Vinson & Elkins until 1997, when he took early retirement and became Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Baylor College of Medicine, where he remained until he retired in 2006. At both Vinson & Elkins and at Baylor, he took the greatest pride in mentoring the young lawyers with whom he worked. When he retired from Baylor, he was deeply honored by the creation of the Dalton Tomlin Chair in Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and he continued to care deeply about the College.

Dalton was an avid reader and a passionate outdoorsman, who enjoyed hunting and fishing with family and friends. But most of all, he was a “certified” golf nut. He played golf in many parts of the world, and was a member of River Oaks Country Club in Houston and of Fairbanks Ranch Country Club in San Diego, California.

He relished spending time with family and friends, enjoying good food and wines. He loved and took great pride in his wife and son, and was quick to tell others of Damon’s latest accomplishments. His laughter, humor and wit will be greatly missed.

A memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 3rd of March 2010, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, Texas.

Immediately following the memorial service, all are invited to join the family for a reception in the adjacent Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in memory of Dalton Tomlin may be directed to the Dalton Tomlin Chair of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, or to the charity of one’s choice.