Thomas Joseph Brorby

1937 - 2023

Thomas Joseph Brorby
03/15/1937 - 04/13/2023
We, his family, friends and colleagues, offer this special tribute and memoriam to
Thomas J. Brorby, who departed us on April 13, 2023, leaving us with the fullest
measure of emptiness in our hearts. Tom perfected life and then proceeded to live it
perfectly to the end, infusing that rare quality into and brightening the lives of his wife,
Sally N. Brorby, and daughter Ashley Brorby, both of Austin, daughter Kelly Gilfillan and
grandson, Will Gilfillan, both of Atlanta, Georgia, brother Bruce Brorby of Detroit,
Michigan, and late sister, Sue Anne Brorby.
Eighty-six years ago, Tom Brorby arrived in this world to the good fortune of
Kathryn and Helmer Brorby in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ultimately he adopted and
loved Texas as his home state where, he would say fondly, "You don't have to shovel
the heat!" But it was in Michigan where his academic and intellectual prowess became
evident. It also was where he quarterbacked his championship high school football
team, demonstrating qualities of leadership and inspiring success as would be his
trademarks for life.
In 1959, Tom graduated magna cum laude as valedictorian from Spring Hill
College in Mobile, Alabama. He received his law degree from The University of Texas
at Austin in 1961, distinguishing himself as associate editor of Texas Law Review, and
received a master of laws degree in taxation from New York University in 1962.
Tom answered Uncle Sam's call to the Army as the Viet Nam conflict
accelerated. He was assigned to Fort Wolters in Texas for an extended period,
achieving the rank of Captain. Ever the consummate strategist, in subsequent years of
law practice he would challenge his partners, associates and co-counsel with his Army
refrain of "What is our primary objective?", always making a difference.
Tom joined the firm of Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston in 1965, becoming a
partner in 1972. He collaborated in establishing that firm's trust and estate practice and
organized what would become a premier exempt organization practice. In 1969, his
restlessness led him to found the firm of Brorby, Fizer, Beck & Webster in Houston. In
turn he held successive partner positions with two firms in Austin where, in 1993, he
and Brian W. Crozier then formed the firm that now is Brorby, Crozier & Dobie.
Tom Brorby's peers and clients have recognized him as one of the most creative
and influential exempt organization legal practitioners of this generation. He is a past
chair of the Tax Section of the State Bar of Texas and of the Exempt Organizations
Committee of the Tax Section of the American Bar Association, in addition to chairing
and speaking at many continuing education tax and exempt organization conferences
and seminars over the course of his distinguished career. He continued his work for
foundations, universities, medical schools and research institutions almost to his last
day. While he spent his career living in Texas, he served clients throughout the country
and in Europe, acting as a great advocate for the values of public and private
philanthropy.
Notably, in the course of his practice, he served as tax counsel to the
State Bar of Texas in State Bar of Texas v. U.S., a lawsuit establishing the tax-exempt
status of the Texas Bar, and he was tax counsel to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in
Estate of Conrad Hilton, a case that was litigated in both state and federal courts over
ownership of the Hilton Hotels Corporation and stock passing under the will of the late
Conrad Hilton.
In the latter part of his career, Tom devoted his energy and talents to advancing
medical research for the benefit of the public by serving as trustee and chairman of
Clayton Foundation for Research in Houston and Research Development Foundation in
Carson City, Nevada, as well as multiple supporting organizations for both foundations.
A source of immense pride and satisfaction both to him and his fellow trustees, Tom
could recognize and understand the value of and need for medicines that might
languish in laboratories, bringing them to the forefront and presiding over their licensing
and commercial development. And once again, almost to the day he died, he provided
oversight of important litigation involving some of those drugs.
Paying him the ultimate compliment, leaders of many of Tom's clients would cry
"Better call Tom!" in crucial and often potentially devastating legal situations. This was
long before television writers adopted a somewhat similar (but pejorative) refrain as the
title for a popular TV series.
Tom Brorby's penchant for perfection was, in some measure, motivated by Henry
David Thoreau, who said "Success is a journey . . . not a destination." For years this
quotation was inked on a non-descript piece of paper laying on Tom's desk, in his own
handwriting. In a sense, however, success for Tom in fact admirably was a destination
as well as a journey. And one of the tools of his keen mind, and original to him, was a
mantra that "Life is a fantasy; reality is the illusion."
Tom was one of the most brilliant minds ever encountered by those who knew
him; was kind and generous to a fault, including with words of appreciation and
encouragement; had a sharp wit; and was deeply loved and will be sorely missed by so
many people.

Services will be private for family. Donations in Tom's memory may be made to
a charity of choice.

"Une vie bien vécue" to an American Original!