Greg Alan Waldrop

Greg Alan Waldrop passed away on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Austin. Born on April 13, 1962 in Lamesa, Texas, Alan was the son of Gordon Waldrop and Barbara (Drennan) Waldrop. Alan was raised on a cotton farm on the South Plains outside of Lamesa and attended Lamesa High School, where he met his future wife, Debra, and graduated as the valedictorian of the Class of 1980. Alan attended the University of Texas at Austin and worked his way through school by managing a cotton farm in Dawson County. He graduated from UT with high honors, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in the Plan II Honors Program, concentrating in philosophy. After college, Alan went to law school at the University of Texas where he earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence with Honors.

After graduating in May 1987, Alan began his career as a lawyer, first working as a briefing attorney at the US District Court for the Western District of Texas in Waco. He then joined the Austin office of Liddell Sapp Zivley Hill & LaBoon (later Locke Liddell & Sapp) in September 1988 where he was an attorney and partner in the firm’s litigation section. From 1993 to 2000, Alan was also a lecturer and adjunct professor of trial advocacy at the UT School of Law. In 2005, Alan was appointed to serve as a Justice on the Texas Third Court of Appeals in Austin. After his appointment, he was elected to the Court for a full term in 2006 and served on the Court until September 2010, when he returned to Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell and his true calling: being an advocate. From 2015 until the time of his death, Alan was a partner at Terrill and Waldrop, handling high-stakes litigation for clients of all types and at all levels of the judicial system. As a trial advocate, one quality of Alan’s always stood out—his cross-examination of witnesses. If you were on the witness stand and had “fudged” or “improved” your story, you would not want to be on the receiving end of Alan’s cross-examination. Alan’s advocacy skills were powerful, but were always motivated by his strong sense of justice and the search for truth.

Outside the legal profession, Alan was a man of many interests and talents. He was an avid reader and generally had three or four books he was reading at any one time, ranging from classic literature to quantum physics to science fiction. If it was a topic he was interested in, the definitive books on the subject could be found in his library and he would have read at least some part of them. He excelled at many pursuits: music, woodworking, sailing, chess, pool, darts, poker, dancing the two-step, and building a great bonfire. He was truly a renaissance man.

Alan’s particular passion for music began at an early age. He studied piano throughout his childhood and teenage years and played trumpet in the Lamesa high school band. While at UT, he played trumpet in Longhorn Band for two years (don’t tell anyone) and sang with the UT Varsity Singers. He had a beautiful tenor voice. For more than 25 years, he was a member and music director of the Bar & Grill Singers, and spent countless hours arranging music for the group. Some of his fondest memories came from studio time with B&G recording their three CDs and performing at The Paramount Theater in Austin and at bar functions across the country.

One of the most joyful and rewarding periods of Alan’s life were the years from 2009 to 2016 when he directed and nurtured two youth cover bands founded by his sons Duncan and Pierce and friends. Invoking the mandate “everybody sings,” Alan inspired many a reluctant young singer to find his voice. Vocal coach, music director, arranger, producer, mentor, and friend, Alan poured his heart and soul into these projects, and the results, as with most anything Alan put his mind to, were phenomenal. To his immense delight, The Loose Wheels (2009-2014) and The Back Steps (2015-2016) participated in more than 110 live performances. To GR, John, Will, Grace, and Ryan: Alan loved you as his own.

Alan could discuss the most serious legal issue or philosophical topic and in the next minute engage in the silliest of banter. He thrived on and welcomed intellectual debate, although often warned the opposition, using a phrase he adopted from his Uncle Bill, “You better eat your Wheaties.” You would need them.

Alan was a master in the pursuit of excellence and encouraged excellence in everyone he loved. You could find no greater confidant or friend of greater loyalty. He will be deeply missed.

Alan is survived by his wife of 30 years, Debra; his sons Duncan and Pierce; brothers Gordon Waldrop II and Stan Waldrop, brother and sister-in-law Rick and Lisa Woodson, brother-in-law Michael Woodson, and mother-in-law Connie Wyatt. He is also survived by one nephew, three nieces, four great nieces and nephews, and a host of friends. Preceding him in death were his parents and his brother, Brant Waldrop. The family suggests memorials to a charity of your choice.