ECTOR - Death Claims Longtime Rayburn Library Director, H.G. Dulaney

H.G. Dulaney, longtime Director of The Sam Rayburn Library and Museum, died early Saturday, July 4, 2009 at his home in Ector, following a brief illness. Visitation will be Monday, July 6, from 6 - 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Ector. The funeral service will be held Tuesday, at 10 a.m., July 7, also at Ector United Methodist Church. The Rev. Gary Gibbs and the Rev. Dee Morton will officiate. Mullican-Little Funeral Home in Bells-Savoy is in charge of arrangements and burial will be in Carson Cemetery.

The son of Horace Greeley and Lucy Dulaney, H.G. was born in Fannin County on May 11, 1918 and lived here all of his life. Both sides of his family came to Fannin County in the 1840s. He spent his childhood, and received his early education, in Fannin County. After graduating from Ector High School he attended Draughon's Business College in Dallas. He married Rita Redman on Sept. 9, 1941 in Colbert, Oklahoma. He served his country in WWII from 1942 - 1945 in the Army Air Force, spending 18 months in the India-Burma theater. Following his release from the service he returned to Fannin County and worked briefly for Bonham Abstract Company and the Farmer's Home Administration, Dept. of Agriculture.

In 1951 a local attorney, Buster Cole, persuaded 33-year-old H.G. to go to Washington to work for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Sam Rayburn. H.G. loved to tell the story of taking the train to Washington, D.C. and of Mr. Sam, probably the most powerful man who ever led the U.S. House of Representatives, taking him on a personal tour of the U.S. House. Much to his embarrassment his new shoes squeaked with every step he took.

The years he spent as a Congressional Aide to Speaker Rayburn were busy, exciting times for him. He had gone to Washington to fill a secretarial vacancy on Mr. Rayburn's staff, and it was the beginning of a wonderful experience in taking Rayburn's dictation and writing his letters, as well as the many things he insisted be done well and promptly in his office. Mr. Rayburn became like a father to him.

In 1956 Mr. Rayburn called him into his office, and said, "H.G., when the library is opened I want you there. I want you to take care of my personal business and I want you at the library." "But, Mr. Speaker," H.G. protested, "I don't know a thing in the world about library work." "You can learn," he said, "take some courses." While the library in Bonham was being completed, Dulaney studied at the Library of Congress and the National Archives. He took special courses in accounting and "library work" at Southeastern University in Washington, D.C. After he took over as Director in 1957 he continued his studies at East Texas State University.

H.G. was flattered by Rayburn's trust in him and spent the rest of his life as Director, and then following his retirement in 2002, as Director Emeritus and Consultant at The Sam Rayburn Library. He has kept the memory of Sam Rayburn alive entertaining the people who visited the library from around the world with his personal recollections of his days with the late Speaker Rayburn.

During his years at the Rayburn Library he served as Co-Editor on "Impression of Mr. Sam -- A Cartoon Profile" (1987) and "Speak, Mr. Speaker" (1978) and was the Editor of the Sam Rayburn Newsletter (1957 - 2002).

He was a member of the Ector United Methodist Church, Ector Masonic Lodge, Dodd City Lions Club, The Texas Historical Commission and the Fannin County Historical Commission. He has won many awards including Bonham Citizen of the Year in 1997.

He is survived by a son, Jerry (Mike) and his wife Marla Dulaney; five grandchildren, David and Vicki Chapman and children, Hunter Chapman and Justin Eichler; Dusty and Ann Chapman and children, Meghann and Dulaney Chapman; Janna and husband Rocky Huggins and children, John and Hayden Lang and Jaxon Huggins; Carri and Kyle Harder and children Makayla and Heston Harder; and Jody and Candace Dulaney and daughter, Cailey Rae Dulaney; and son-in-law, Doyle Chapman.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Horace Greeley and Lucy Dulaney, his wife Rita Redman Dulaney and daughter, Loretta Dulaney Chapman.

Pallbearers will be James Henson, Dan Reamer, Lee Roberson, Dusty Chapman, David Chapman, Kyle Harder, Jody Dulaney and Rocky Huggins. Honorary Pallbearers will be Dr. Patrick Cox, Dr. Don Carleton, Dr. Ed Phillips and Dee J. Kelly.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 186, Ector, Texas 75439 or The Sam Rayburn Library and Museum, P.O. Box 309, Bonham, Texas 75418.

At the conclusion of services family and friends are invited to join in a time of remembrance for H.G. Dulaney at the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum.

Published in The Herald Democrat from July 5 to July 6, 2009 - See more at: [external link]