KUGLE, WILLIAM HERRELL (1925 ~ 1992). William Herrell Kugle, Jr., Member of the Texas House of Representatives, was born on January 20, 1925, to William H., Sr. and Blanche Kugle in Fort Worth, Texas. He grew up in Granbury before graduating from Lubbock High School. At age 17, he immediately enlisted in the United States Army.

While in the Army, Kugle saw action in New Guinea and the Philippines and participated in the liberation of Manila with Company G, 511th Paratrooper Regiment, 11th Airborne Division. He later served with the Occupation Army of Japan following the Japanese surrender.

After he received his law degree from the University of Texas in 1950, he moved to Galveston to practice law. In 1952, he ran unopposed for the Texas House of Representatives, but in his reelection bid he was defeated. Following his defeat, Kugle moved his family to Athens and joined the law firm of Justice and Justice in 1958. He later practiced law with Kugle, Douglas and Skelton, which later became Kugle and Skelton.

During his life, Kugle represented individual and environmental causes in several landmark state constitutional decisions, including the Tyler Junior College "hair" case in 1972 and the clear-cutting of United States National Forest lands in 1975. He was a member of Henderson County Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association, the Texas Trial Lawyer's Association and a charter member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

Kugle had many civic interests to go along with his statewide interests. He was president of the Athens Little Theatre; supported the Clint W. Murchision Memorial Library; served as the Democratic Chairman of Henderson County. Kugle also enjoyed the outdoors, sailing, canoeing, and motorcycles.

Representative Kugle died on December 27, 1992, and was buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.

Information taken from the Athens Daily Review, Monday, December 28, 1992.