Dick Sizemore

Dick Ronald “Ronnie” Sizemore was born September 3, 1932 in Cushing, Texas, to Hollis and Odessa Sizemore and passed away at his home on June 8, 2017, surrounded by family. He was educated in the public schools of Corpus Christi. While attending Corpus Christi High School, he was elected class favorite, president of his senior class and vice president of the student council. He was a member of the state champion basketball team his senior year and received All-Tournament honors at the state meet in 1950. Upon graduation from high school, he enrolled at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi and then transferred to Sul Ross State University in 1952. At Sul Ross, Sizemore lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He served as co-captain of the Lobo football team. The Dallas Morning News named Sizemore to the All-Texas Small College Football Team in 1952-1953. He received All-Lone Star Conference honors in both football and baseball in 1953 and Honorable Mention Little All-American in 1953. After graduating from Sul Ross in 1954 with a BBA degree, he served with the U.S. Army, 3rd Infantry Division, Ft. Meyers, Virginia from 1955-1957. He served in the Active Reserves for four years. Upon leaving the military, Sizemore returned to Corpus Christi and entered the business world. Over the years, he became owner and president of H. S. Sizemore and Son, Co. Industrial Contractors, Sizemore Environmental Group, Puerto Services Refinery Maintenance Co., and H. S. Sizemore & Son Railroad Co. Sizemore has been an involved and active public servant. He served on the Corpus Christi City Council from 1965-1969, and was Mayor Pro-Tem from 1969-1971. In 1971, he was elected Mayor of Corpus Christi and served until 1973. He was instrumental in the development of Cole Park, Senior Citizens Centers, Choke Dam, Greenwood Park and A&I at Corpus Christi through bond elections while in office; instrumental in establishing the city-owned emergency ambulance service, Bayfront Science Park, Open Spaces Project along the bay front, Police Community Relations Program; established the local hotel and motel tax to help finance the tourist and convention trade. Sizemore also helped secure the municipal and industrial water supply (Choke Canyon) for the Corpus Christi area and established a service center for city vehicles. He helped establish bay drilling and land drilling ordinances, which were among the first in the nation, and helped establish the Oil Spill Control Branch of the combined Governmental Agency, also one of the first in the nation. He served on the Board of Directors for the Stonewall National Bank, Coastal Bend Council of Governments, Texas Partners for Alliance with Peru, Buccaneer Commission, Texas Municipal League, the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, the C.C. Speech and Hearing Center, YMCA, USO, Coastal Bend Tourist Bureau (President) and Corpus Christi Leadership Committee. Sizemore served on many executive boards and served as vice president for a number of these organizations. He is past president of the Texas Municipal League, Mayors and Councilmen Association, and the Texas Municipal League Region II. He was involved in leadership roles with the Boy Scouts, Suicide Prevention, Heart Fund, the Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Corpus Christi Art Museum, and the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show. Sizemore has been recognized as the Outstanding Young Man of Corpus Christi in 1967, Outstanding Civic Salesman of the Year in 1972, Most Panned Man Award in 1972, and one of the Outstanding Young Texans from 1970-1980. He was also recognized as a Distinguished Alumni at Sul Ross State University. In 1991, Sizemore sold Sizemore Environmental Group and H. S. Sizemore & Son to a public company and retired. However, he remained involved in ranching, property development and investments. He is also a past member of the American Meat Goat Association, the American Boer Goat Association, and served on the Board of Directors of the South Texas Meat Goat Association and a partner in JABB Goat Company. He was world champion on the two-man 12-gauge skeet team in 1983 with his son Jeff. He also teamed up with his son to take the two-man 12-gauge state trap title. He was also on the world champion five-man 12-gauge skeet team in 1983. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Shirley; son, Andy Sizemore; granddaughter, Shannon Callihan; and niece, Laurie Scott. He is survived by his loving wife on 65 years, Virginia Sizemore of Corpus Christi; son, Jeff Sizemore and wife Carolina of Corpus Christi; daughter, Tracey Callihan of Corpus Christi; and daughter-in-law, Paula Sizemore of Corpus Christi; five grandchildren, Tiffany Anderwald, Wesley Callihan, Miles Callihan and Nicholas Sizemore all of Corpus Christi and Marc (Rayanne) Pullin of Spring Branch; great grandchildren, Brielle and Cooper Anderwald of Corpus Christi and Parker, Loxley and Laken Pullin of Spring Branch; special friends/family, Dale and Roxanne Mathis; nieces, Lynne Taylor (Wally) and Jennifer Hoskinson (Vance). Visitation with the family present with be from 5 P.M. until 7 P.M. Sunday, June 11, 2017 at Sawyer-George Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 A.M. Monday, June 12, 2017 at Arlington Heights Church of Christ with Gene Polvado officiating. Burial will follow.