William P. Hobby, Jr.

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William Pettus “Bill” Hobby, Jr., (born January 19, 1932) is a Texas Democratic politician who served a record eighteen years as his state's lieutenant governor, having served from 1973 to 1991. He was Chancellor of the University of Houston System from 1995 to 1997.

He was born in Houston, the only son of William P. Hobby, Sr., and Oveta Culp Hobby. His father was the governor of Texas from 1917-1921, and his mother was the first person appointed to the new position of U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, having served under U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Republican and native Texan, from 1953-1955. For many years, the Hobbys owned the now-defunct Houston Post newspaper, which they sold in 1983. It was absorbed by the Houston Chronicle (which is still publishing) in 1995. The Hobbys also started the first Houston radio station.

Hobby was educated at Rice University. Married to the former Diana Poteat Stallings, he is the father of Laura Poteat Hobby, Paul Hobby, Andrew Purefoy Hobby, and Katherine Pettus Hobby. Democrat Paul Hobby narrowly lost the race for Texas comptroller in 1998 to the Republican nominee, Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

[edit] Reference

  • Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997


Preceded by
Ben Barnes
Lieutenant Governor of Texas
1973–1991
Succeeded by
Bob Bullock