Noted Texas historian and journalist T.R. Fehrenbach died yesterday morning from a congenital heart condition, reports the San Antonio Express-News.

Fehrenbach was best known for his 1968 doorstopper, Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans, still widely taught. He boasted a stint heading the Texas Historical Commission and more than a dozen and half published nonfiction books on topics as diverse as the Korean War and the history of the Comanche people; he was also one of the Express-News’ senior-most columnists. Fehrenbach retired from the paper in August, ending his farewell column without too much fanfare: “The column that received the greatest response was about my cat, George, and the finest-crafted columns usually go out in the trash on Monday morning.”

As Maria Luisa Cesar put it in the Express-News’ obituary, his death has left “a Texas-size hole in the hearts of those touched by his storytelling and knack for breathing life into history.” Fehrenbach will be buried in the Texas State Cemetery – a fitting home for the historian, surrounded by his subjects.

This article appears in November 29 • 2013.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...