Landes, Johnson to Receive Alumni Awards May 11

WACO, Texas - Dr. James H. Landes of Waco and Judge Sam D. Johnson of Austin will be honored by the Baylor University Alumni Association at a special award ceremony during spring commencement at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11, in the Ferrell Center.
Landes will receive the George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award, and Johnson will receive the Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award.
Award recipients must be graduates or former students at Baylor, current or former members of the administration or faculty, or individuals who have had a long association with Baylor and are identified publicly with Baylor.
Lyndon L. Olson Jr. of Waco, president of the Baylor Alumni Association, will present the seventh annual awards to two individuals who reflect the true meaning of the university's official motto: "Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana" (For Church, For Texas).
The George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award is given to someone who best exemplifies the life and career of the late George W. Truett.
Landes is one of Southern Baptists' most respected leaders. He received his bachelor's degree from Ouachita Baptist College and master of Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
Ordained in 1938, Landes devoted more than three decades of his life to the pastorate. While in Texas pastorates, Landes served in numerous leadership roles of the Baptist General Convention of Texas including nine years as executive director where he coordinated the work of the various convention committees within the 2.2 million member BGCT.
Landes served as Visiting Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor from January 1983 until May 1991.
The recipient of the Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award should be serving or have served in an elected or appointed local, state or national office, and whose record in public life best exemplifies the spirit of selfless dedication to public service represented by the life and career of the late Gov. Price Daniel.
In October 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed Johnson U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit, and in May 1991, Johnson elected to take senior status.
Johnson previously served on the Texas Supreme Court and the 14th Court of Civil Appeals in Houston. Prior to those offices, he was elected and served as judge of the 66th Judicial District Court in Hillsboro, and as district attorney and county attorney in Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas.
In 1949 he received his law degree from the University of Texas in Austin, and in 1977 was awarded an honorary Order of the Coif from that university. He received his bachelor's degree from Baylor and served as president of the Baylor Alumni Association in 1974-75, and in 1978 was designated as a distinguished alumni of Baylor.
For more information, contact the Baylor Alumni Association at (817) 755-1121.