Dean Gandy

Dean M. Gandy of Kerrville, Texas, and a former bankruptcy judge in Dallas, Texas, passed away on April 14, 2016, in Kerrville.\r\n\r\nHe was influential in the passage of the first major amendment to the Bankruptcy Act of 1898. Dean was born on March 5, 1927, in Dallas, Texas. He worked first as a paper boy for the Dallas Morning News at a time when Grand Prairie had 2,500 residents and only two paper boys. He was an oiler for an ice plant, then later worked at several positions with Stewart Title Guaranty Company in downtown Dallas for six years. Dean worked his way through Southern Methodist University to get a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, in 1950 where he was Editor of the Southwestern Law Journal.\r\n\r\nAfter practicing law in Sherman for three years, he returned to Dallas in 1953, joining Magna Oil Company and serving in various positions, the last as Vice President, Land and Legal. In 1968, he joined William J. Rochelle in a partnership practicing primarily Bankruptcy and Reorganization Law nationwide. Dean also represented the Bishop of Wheeling, West Virginia, with the Bishop's large oil and gas holdings in West Texas. Additionally, Dean represented several clients in cases relating to the authenticity and disposal of fine art collections.\r\n\r\nIn 1970, he was appointed bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Texas and, thereafter, served as chief bankruptcy judge. As president of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and a member of the National Bankruptcy Conference, Judge Gandy lectured at seminars for new and serving bankruptcy judges for 10 years. He served as Chairman of the Bankruptcy Section of the Texas State Bar in many capacities, including testifying before House and Senate Committees and contributed to the significant changes in bankruptcy law made at the time. In 1983, Judge Gandy became head of the 15-person Bankruptcy Section of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, the largest law firm in Texas at the time.\r\n\r\nIn 1995, after a brief association with Ed Creel and John Atwood, Judge Gandy retired to the Texas Hill Country. In 2012, he was selected as a Distinguished Alumni of SMU Law School. Judge Gandy had many friends and was a great success in life. He will be missed by his family, friends and all who knew him.\r\n\r\nVisitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 22 at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday April 23 at Wildwood Chapel, Restland Memorial Park in Dallas. The Rev. Ryan Jesperson, the former pastor of the Grace Temple Baptist Church in Dallas, a church founded by Judge Gandy's sister and brother-in-law more than 75 years ago will officiate. Dean's associates, friends and family are encouraged to share their memories. \r\n\r\nIn lieu of flowers, the family suggests you make a gift to the American Heart Association.\r\n\r\nThe greatest tragedy of his life was the death of his daughter, Julie, in 1972 at the age of 22.\r\n\r\nHe is survived by his wife, Barbara Kirby Gandy of Kerrville; children, Tone and Karen Kirby Lester of Tyler, Donald and Karla Kirby Corkran and Kimberly Kirby Cone of Kerrville; grandchildren, Sean Teaters, Amy Mimms, Melissa Stagg, Morgan Lester, Kirby Cone and Alline Cone; and great-grandchildren, Emily Mimms, Nate and Drew Givens.\r\n