Baylor Mourns Death of Bear Foundation President

January 3, 2007
News Photo 3913

Paul Gartner

Baylor University is mourning the death of the current president of the Baylor Bear Foundation. Paul Edwin Gartner Jr., 54, died suddenly Dec. 30, 2006. Funeral services were held Jan. 3 at University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, with burial following at Oakwood Cemetery, Waco.

Gartner was born May 19, 1952, in Dallas. He attended McLennan Community College and graduated from Baylor in 1974, and from Baylor Law School in 1976. He began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney with the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office. He practiced law in the private firm of Khoury and Gartner in Waco, and also served as the McLennan County District Attorney. For the last 15 years, he had been an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas and had served as a Deputy Criminal Chief.

Gartner was an avid Baylor sports fan and had season tickets to all home football, men's and women's basketball and baseball games for the past 30 years. The Baylor Fan of the Year in 2003, he was currently presiding as president of the Baylor Bear Foundation. The university held a moment of silence in Gartner's memory at both Baylor women's and men's basketball games on Dec. 30 at the Ferrell Center.

Gartner was a lifelong Catholic and attended church at St. Andrew Catholic Church. He also attended church with his family at University Baptist Church, Fort Worth.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents and his father, Paul Edwin Gartner Sr. Survivors include his loving wife of 31 years, Beth; two daughters, Amanda and Ashley; mother, Barbara Gartner; sister, Leighanne Hoban and her husband, Mark; numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins; and a host of friends. His memory may be honored with a gift to the Baylor Bear Foundation, 150 Bear Run, Waco, TX 76711.