LUBBOCK, Texas — Congressman Jodey Arrington paid his respects to Delbert McDougal on the house floor on Tuesday.
McDougal was a prominent developer and long-time Lubbock resident. He passed away on Friday at the age of 86.
Arrington also took to social media to pay his respects by calling McDougal “a great leader and a true visionary for the Lubbock Community.” Arrington called McDougal’s family and friends his “greatest love and legacy.”
Read Congressman Arrington’s remarks below.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor the life of my dear friend and giant of a West Texan, Delbert McDougal, who passed away last week after 86 years of unwavering devotion to God, his family, and the community he loved, Lubbock, Texas. Delbert was born and raised in Hockley County, USA, where he learned at a young age the importance of hard work by chopping weeds in a cotton patch for 45 cents an hour.
He met his wife, Carolyn, in 1954, and together they started their family and began working to transform our community with countless real estate endeavors, including the largest privately financed urban renewal project in America.
The citizens of Lubbock enjoy a better quality of life and have a brighter future because of Delbert McDougal’s big vision, his bold leadership, and boundless love for all things West Texas.
God blessed West Texas with that great man, Delbert McDougal, and I pray that he will comfort the McDougal family in the days to come. Go West Texas.”
