McMurry University offers its deepest condolences to the friends, family, and loved ones of Arthur “Art” L. Pertile, III ’83, a beloved alumnus, scholar-athlete, and Board of Trustees member. Pertile earned a Bachelor of Arts from McMurry University before obtaining his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. He represented governmental entities and public officials exclusively for over 35 years. He began his legal career as an assistant city attorney with the Waco City Attorney’s Office and subsequently served as an assistant district attorney with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, Texas. He also worked as an assistant city attorney with the City of Houston.
In November 2007, he joined Olson & Olson LLP. in Houston. He was an equity partner with Olson & Olson and represented cities, counties, special districts, and public officials across the State of Texas. He most recently served as city attorney for several cities in the Greater Houston area, and as corporate counsel for several special districts, including the Galveston Industrial Development Corporation.
Pertile maintained a strong connection to McMurry throughout his life. He was the featured Commencement speaker for McMurry’s May 2022 graduation ceremony, the 2018 McMurry University Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, a 2003 McMurry Hall of Honor inductee, and he served on the McMurry Alumni Board. He joined the Board of Trustees in 2019 and served for five years. In 2023 he was named to the men’s track and field All-Century Team, an honor recognizing McMurry’s best scholar-athletes over its first 100 years. That same year, he gave a candid interview about his life before, during, and after his time at McMurry as a feature celebrating Black History Month.
Pertile embodied McMurry’s core value of servant leadership, and his service extended far beyond McMurry’s campus. He was a past president of the Texas City Attorneys Association and has served on the Board of the Texas Municipal League. He also was a past president of the international Municipal Lawyers Association and served as a board member of the Waco Tigers charitable organization. He was appointed by the Texas governor and served for 10 years as a commissioner on the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. Pertile also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Government Lawyers Section of the Texas State Bar, Waco Foundation, McLennan County Bar Association, Waco Parents for Public Schools, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and the YMCA of Central Texas.
Pertile was a recipient of the Frank Fallon “Sportsman of the Year Award” presented by the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation’s “Contributors Award” for his work with the youth of Waco. He coached youth basketball for over 40 years and was a National Youth Sport Coaches Association certified youth basketball coach.
Pertile is survived by his wife Renita D. King and their children Arthur L. Pertile, IV, and Krissica L. Harper. McMurry expresses its gratitude for the decades of service, wisdom, and encouragement he continually gave to his alma mater.
Contact
Nicholas Ocheltree, Director of Integrated Communications
ocheltree.nick@mcm.edu
325-260-3963