Recently, two people who were very important to the Sierra Club in Texas died.

The first is A.R. “Babe” Schwartz, who was a state representative and senator in the Texas Legislature for many years.  He fought for his home town of Galveston, the creation and protection of the “Open Beaches Act” in 1959, and for sensible and reasonable coastal management of the Texas Coast.  “Babe” was a blunt spoken, shrewd, and humorous politician who knew how the Texas Legislature operates and how to get things done.  Without him many of the beaches everyone assumes are public would not be open except to those with money and power.  The likes of “Babe” comes along only once or twice in a century.

The second person who died, was Jerry Akers, who lived in Pearland.  Jerry held many important administrative positions (chair, conservation chair, etc.) as a volunteer in the Sierra Club at the Houston Regional Group. Lone Star Chapter, and Southern Plains Regional Conservation Committee (RCC) levels.  Jerry probably chaired more meetings for volunteer Sierra Club entities than anyone I have known and was a staunch environmentalist and conservationist.  Jerry led the way on many occasions when the Group, Chapter, or RCC was at loggerheads and needed someone to stand up and get the ball rolling.  He will be sorely missed.  

This article is based upon, in part, from information obtained from the Houston Chronicle August 11, 2018.

Brandt Mannchen
August 12, 2018