Dallasite who died in February aided children, the poor

12:00 AM CDT on Friday, April 28, 2006

AUSTIN – The Senate has honored the late Phil Strickland of Dallas, who spent nearly four decades as Southern Baptists' point man at the Texas Capitol.

Mr. Strickland, who died of complications from cancer on Feb. 11, was "a legendary champion of children and the poor," a resolution adopted Thursday said.

A trio of senators – none of them Baptist – praised Mr. Strickland's personal humility and warmth as well as his work as the state's first registered lobbyist for a religious denomination.

"Good to the bone," said Sen. Jane Nelson, a Lewisville Republican and Methodist who sponsored the resolution.

Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, a Catholic and Democrat from San Antonio, said Mr. Strickland "worked so well with other members of the faith community" that many joined his "unwavering" crusades to prod the state to do more for uninsured and abused youngsters.

Sen. Florence Shapiro, a Jewish Republican from Plano, said the longtime head of the Baptist General Convention of Texas' ethics and policy arm "cared so deeply about children and about families" that she doubts anyone will fill his shoes.

"A lot of us need to aspire to a lot of his principles," she said.

Robert T. Garrett

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