Thomas J. Brorby

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!