Richard A. Waterfield

Richard Allen "Dick" Waterfield
Texas State Representative from District 88 (Texas Panhandle)
In office 1987–1990
Preceded by	John W. "Buck" Buchanan
Succeeded by	David Swinford
Personal details
Born	August 24, 1939 Canadian, Hemphill County Texas, USA
Died	February 26, 2007 (aged 67) Austin, Travis County Texas
Resting place	Edith Ford Cemeteries in Canadian, Texas
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	(1) Gail Lavin Waterfield (divorced) (2) Brenda Cash Waterfield (surviving spouse)
Children	From first marriage: R. Bruce Waterfield Gwyn Waterfield
Alma mater	Canadian (Texas) High School Oklahoma State University
Occupation	Business; Rancher
Religion	Interdenominational Christian

Richard Allen Waterfield, known as Dick Waterfield (August 24, 1939 – February 26, 2007), was a rancher in the Texas Panhandle who from 1987 to 1991 was a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 88, including his hometown of Canadian, Texas.^[1] Waterfield was particularly known for his advocacy of home meal-delivery systems for the elderly and disabled.

Background

Waterfield was one of two sons born to Richard Bruce Waterfield and the former Marjorie Jones (1904–1961). He graduated from Canadian High School and then attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi. He then operated his family ranch and was the president and co-owner of Canadian Feed Yards. He was the president of the interest group, the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, and a director of the First State Bank of Canadian.^[2]

Political career

In 1987, Waterfield succeeded the veteran Democratic State Representative John W. "Buck" Buchanan of Dumas in Moore County.^[3]

In 1990, Waterfield won the Republican nomination for Texas's 18th congressional district in a primary challenge to former U.S. Representative Bob Price of Pampa. However, Waterfield lost the general election to the incumbent Democrat Bill Sarpalius of Amarillo. Waterfield received 63,045 ballots (43.5 percent) to Sarpalius' 81,815 votes (56.5 percent).^[4] Waterfield had resigned his state House seat to make the congressional race, and in 1991, his legislative seat passed to fellow Republican David Swinford of Dumas.

In 1991, Waterfield, having relocated permanently to Austin, became the assistant to Democrat-turned-Republican Rick Perry, the future governor of Texas who in 1990 had unseated the Democrat Jim Hightower in a heated race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. In the new position, Waterfield worked to establish the Texas Agriculture Finance Authority. He soon resigned the position.^[5]

Later years

After leaving the agriculture department, Waterfield was active in the Austin business community, having owned Waterworks Productions and Waterfield and Associates, Inc.^[6]

Waterfield died in Austin at the age of sixty-seven. Services were held at Riverbend Church and at the First United Methodist Church in Canadian.^[6] He is interred at the Edith Ford Memorial Cemeteries in Canadian.^[7]

References

1. "Legislative Reference Library: Richard Waterfield". lrl.state.tx.us. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
2. "Person of the Week: Dick Waterfield, March 2007". capitolcrowd.com. http://capitolcrowd.blogspot.com/2007/03/person-of-week-dick-waterfield.html. Retrieved May 15, 2012
3. "Legislative Reference Library: J. W. Buchanan". lrl.state.tx.us. http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=435&searchparams=chamber=~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=~first=~gender=~last=Buchanan~leaderNote=~leg=~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=. Retrieved May 15, 2012
4. Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections, Vol. 2, 6th edit, Congressional Quarterly Press, 2010
5. Jason Cherkis, "Rick Perry 'Niggerhead' Rock: Is GOP Candidate Racially Insensitive?", October 3, 2011". huffingtonpost.com. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/1969/12/31/texas-governor-rick-perry_n_992712.html. Retrieved May 15, 2012
6. "Richard Allen "Dick" Waterfield"". legacy.com. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
7. "Edith Ford Memorial Cemeteries". findagrave.com. Retrieved May 15, 2012.