Family, friends remember former Texas Gov. Mark White

HOUSTON – Hundreds of friends and family members gathered Wednesday in Houston to remember former Texas Gov. Mark White.

White, who was the 43rd governor of the Lone Star State, died Saturday of a heart attack after a long battle with kidney cancer. He was 77.

Among those who attended the memorial service at the Second Baptist Church on Woodway Drive were former President George W. Bush, who also served as Texas’ 46th governor, former Gov. Rick Perry, now U.S. Secretary of Energy, and current Gov. Greg Abbott.

"Mark visited me several times in the Capitol and on every visit, he made it clear how much he valued his time as governor," Bush said. "He enjoyed the hand-shaking. He enjoyed the give-and-take with the Legislature ... most of the time."

PHOTOS: Remembering former Texas Gov. Mark White

White became governor by beating Republican Bill Clemens in 1983, at a time when  Texas education was failing. The son of a school teacher, White set out to reform Texas schools, instituting standardized testing for students and competency tests for teachers, but with higher salaries and smaller classrooms.

He also pushed through “no pass/no play,” requiring student athletes to maintain passing grades to continue playing on school sports teams.

“Anybody who understand Texas and the football culture of our state knows saying to coach or boosters I expect the boy to read else he doesn’t play, takes courage. Mark White had courage,” Bush said.

VIDEO: George W. Bush speaks at service

Passage of “no pass/no play” is believed to be a factor in White’s subsequent defeat by Clements in 1986.

“Mark passed great reforms and raised taxes to pay for them, and was ultimately defeated for having done so,” Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon Johnson, told the crowd.

In spite of losing office, friends and family say White was not bitter.

"He said if he could do it all over again, he would do the same,” former state senator and U.S Congressman Craig Washington said. “Now that's courage. It's not politics. It's not doing what you need to do just to stay in office. It's doing what's right for the people of Texas because it needs to be done."

WATCH: Funeral service for former Gov. Mark White

White practiced law, and remained engaged in public life. He said his proudest achievement was having a Houston elementary school named in his honor.

He abhorred the hyper-partisanship of modern politics, In an interview with the Houston Chronicle shortly before his death, he said: 

“I never give up on this state, on this country. That’s what you learn after being in politics as long as I have. If you give up, then you’re part of the problem.”

VIDEO: Luci Baines Johnson speaks at service

White’s body will be taken to Austin on Thursday to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda.

VIDEO: Things to know about Mark White

He will be laid to rest Friday in a private ceremony at the Texas State Cemetery.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Gale White; two sons, a daughter and nine grandchildren.

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