May 2021
David Duane Adams, JD ’61
David Duane Adams passed away May 8, in Nacogdoches, Texas. He was born August 12, 1934 to David Walter and Minta Cleo Adams in Alto, Texas. Reared in Nacogdoches, he graduated from Nacogdoches High School, Class of '51, and Stephen F. Austin State University, BBA, in 1954. After graduating, David went on active duty in the U.S. Navy. He and Eloise Chambers of Nacogdoches were married in the chapel at Moffett Field, California on February 22, 1957. Upon release from active duty, he entered Baylor Law School and earned an LLB degree and a law license in 1961. David remained in the U.S. Navy Reserve, continuing to serve as an intelligence officer, and retired with the rank of Commander USNR in 1976.
David practiced law in Snyder and San Antonio before returning home to Nacogdoches in 1966. He enjoyed the private practice of law for over fifty years, serving as District Attorney (1969-1977). David was licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas, admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Military Appeals and was certified by the U.S. Navy, both as Trial and Defense Counsel. Memberships included being a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International, and over fifty years as a Master Mason and 32nd degree Scottish Rite of Freemasonry since 1963. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Eloise Chambers Adams; son, Michael Terry Adams and wife, Shelley Gipson Adams and granddaughters, Lilia Kate and Sylvia Freya Adams, all of Paragould, Arkansas; and brother, Joe Neil Adams of Nacogdoches.Col. W. Hays Parks, JD ’66
Col. W. Hays Parks went to Our Lord on May 11, after suffering a stroke. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated from Lee High School in Jacksonville, as well as Baylor University and Baylor Law. Col. Parks entered federal service in 1963 as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps. His initial service was as a reconnaissance battalion platoon leader. He served in the Republic of Vietnam (1968-1969) as an infantry officer and senior prosecuting attorney. He served as the first Marine Corps Representative at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, U.S. Army; as a congressional liaison officer for the Secretary of the Navy; and as Chief, Law of War Branch, Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy. After leaving active duty, Col. Parks remained in the Marine Corps reserves attaining the rank of Colonel. He was instrumental in the development of a law of War Program to assist the training of Marine commanders and their staffs, as well as judge advocates. During his military service, including his reserve career, he earned Navy-Marine Corps, Canadian, and British Parachutist wings, U.S. Army Master Parachutist wings, and 82nd Airborne Centurion wings.
In his civilian capacity, Col. Parks served as the Special Assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the Army for Law of War Matters from 1979 to 2003. He was a legal advisor for the 1986 air strike against terrorist-related targets in Libya and had primary responsibility for the investigation of Iraqi war crimes during its 1990-1991 occupation of Kuwait. He served as a legal adviser for U. S. Special Operations Forces from 1979 until his retirement. He served as a U.S. delegate for law of war negotiations in New York, Geneva, The Hague, and Vienna. He was instrumental in the negotiation of several important treaties, such as the Blinding Laser Protocol. In August 2003, Col. Parks joined the International Affairs Division, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Defense. He chaired the Department’s Law of War Working Group from 2003 until his retirement in October 2010. Col. Parks occupied the Charles H. Stockton Chair of International Law at the Naval War College for the academic year 1984-1985. In 1987, he was a staff member on the Presidential Commission established to examine alleged security breaches in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Col. Parks also testified as an expert witness in cases against terrorists both in the United States and Canada. Col. Parks lectured at the National, Army, Air Force, and Naval War Colleges; the military staff colleges; other military schools; and at U.S. and foreign military units. In 2001, he became the sixth person in the history of U.S. Special Operations Command to receive that command’s top civilian award, the U.S. Special Operations Command Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. In 2006, he was awarded the U.S. Special Operations Command’s Major General William F. Garrison Award for a career of service to Special Operations Forces. In 2016, Col. Parks was awarded the NDIA Small Arms Group’s Gunnery Sgt Carlos N. Hathcock Award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in operational employment and tactics of small arms weapon systems that have impacted the readiness and capabilities of the U.S. military. Col. Parks also advocated for the use of ammunition by the military that was more accurate, reliable, and hence more effective, such as “Open Tip Match” ammunition. Approval of this type of ammunition resulted in more effective fire and thereby saved American lives. Col. Parks did more than answer paper request. He encouraged innovation, provided careful guidance to those responsible for developing ammunition to ensure compliance with our treaty and policy obligations. Col. Parks was a “watchdog” against challenges to existing military small arms ammunition, such as the 1999-2000 challenge by certain organizations in the international community of the Raufoss 12.7mm Multipurpose Projectile, which he successfully defeated. Hays Parks was a man of profound courage. There are countless U.S. service members alive today because Col. Parks put more accurate, reliable, and effective ammunition into their hands and the hands of their fellow warfighters. The Department of Defense, Marine Corps, and the nation lost a valuable member of the team. Hay Parks was a man of action, of learning and of justice. He leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Maria Lopez-Otin.
Dennis A. Fuller, JD ’80
Dennis A. Fuller of Dallas died on November 12, 2020. He was born February 22, 1955. Dennis grew up in Waxahachie, Texas and was a 1977 graduate of Baylor University and a 1980 graduate of Baylor University School of Law. Dennis began his career representing the State of Texas as a Dallas County Assistant District Attorney trying misdemeanor and then felony criminal cases. Over the years, his practice became increasingly family law oriented. Dennis was a FAA Certified Commercial Drone Pilot and the only drone based Flir Level 1 Certified Thermographer in North Texas. Dennis was a member of the Plano Rotary Club from 2009-2016.
Passionate about conservation, Dennis was an avid hunter. He joined Dallas Safari Club (DSC) as a Life Member in 2008 and volunteered at the DSC convention as an essential part of the Silent Auction Committee, and at the SAFETY Extravaganza as a youth rifle instructor. He also served on the DSC board as a Vice President in 2014-15. Additionally, he was a member of Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF). He served as Secretary of the OTF board from 2016-19 and was an active volunteer for OTF’s annual fundraiser, Rendezvous of the Guardians.
He is preceded in death by his parents Madelon H. Fuller and Robert C. Fuller, Jr., brothers James (Larry) Fuller and Stephen Fuller, and sister Janet Fuller-Gilbert. He is survived by his niece Logan Fuller, nephews Robert Fuller, Andrew Fuller, Adam Fuller, Saxon Fuller, Sterling Fuller, and Bradley Fuller, aunt Dorothy Lee Fuller Lowry, cousins Judy Shank and Patti Collier, sisters-in-law Kimberly Fuller and Stephanie Fuller, and brother-in-law James Gilbert.
Brian Wesley Portugal, JD ’05
Brian Wesley Portugal passed away suddenly on May 12. He was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas where he represented the government in direct criminal appeals and post-conviction litigation. Born in Dallas, Texas on August 27, 1980, he graduated from Crowley High School in 1998, where he was captain of the tennis team. Brian entered TCU and graduated in 2001, cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science and was in the Graduate of Distinction Program in Political Science. He participated in the Creative Writing Competition and his "Good 'Ol Boy Politics" won the Nancy Evans Memorial Award for Texas Writing at TCU in 2001.
Following graduation from TCU, Brian entered the Baylor School of Law where he earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2005. He was a Senior Executive Editor of the law review. During the course of his study at Baylor, he served as a teaching assistant to Professor David Guinn, his constitutional law professor. Brian established lifelong collegial relationships while at Baylor. In 2005, Brian clerked for the Honorable H. Dale Cook, Senior Federal District Judge in Tulsa Oklahoma. Judge Cook's judicial temperament proved invaluable to Brian throughout his career. During his clerkship, he was an Adjunct Faculty Member at the University of Tulsa College of Law. He authored a judicial profile of Judge Cook which was published in The Federal Lawyer in 2008. Brian relocated to Houston in 2006, to clerk for the Honorable Thomas M. Reavley of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He honed his legal skills to the extent that the judge often referred to him as "Judge Portugal". Judge Reavley's penchant for addressing the specificity of the law in all circumstances had a profound impact on Brian. Prior to joining the USAO, he was employed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney and Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Dallas County Public Defender's Office and Meadows Collier Reed Cousins Crouch & Ungerman. His work as an appellate public defender enriched his understanding of the criminal justice system and taught him a great deal about humility. Brian considered joining the USAO as one of the proudest moments of his life. He was a consummate student of the law and Board certified in Criminal Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Valued colleagues described him as a go-to person, someone who gave straight answers and sound advice, a lawyer who was wicked smart, a fabulous writer, and who had a clear sense of justice. Others lauded him for his brilliant legal mind and self-deprecating sense of humor, as helpful and trustworthy, and, whose word was gold. One of his law professors described him as an upright guy who was intensely sincere. Brian made those around him feel respected and self-assured and he thrived on being of counsel to so many other associates. He was a very giving person with a big heart who lived to make a difference in everything he did.
Brian met his bride, the former Shannon Sanders in August, 2007 and they were married on September 25, 2010. They had a shared sense of humor, a love of dogs, good food, fellowship with good friends, and travel. Brian was a loyal and abiding friend, a person of unquestioned integrity, and a good man. Creative and talented, he was a fun-loving person with a remarkable sense of recall, a wonderful cook, and a zealous baseball fan. A lifelong Episcopalian, he was baptized and confirmed at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Dallas. He was a lay Eucharistic minister at Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Worth. For a short time he considered entering the ministry and took courses in the Masters of Theological Studies Program at Brite Divinity School.
Brian was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Earl and Maria Ward of Mesquite, his maternal grandparents, Bill and Jean Burnett of Farmers Branch, and his step-brother, Morgan J. Walker of Paris. He is survived by his wife Shannon of Richardson; his father Dr. Joseph S. Portugal and wife Paula of Paris; his mother Donna Allen and husband Bob of Weatherford; his brother, Parker Allen and wife Kaitie of Richardson; his father in-law Marty Sanders and mother in-law Mary Sanders of Richardson; his sister in-law Meghan Franzke, husband Bob and son Riley all of Plano; and, his step-grandmother, Ann Ford of Paris; and numerous other extended family and friends.