Former U.S. ambassador, Jewish community leader and philanthropist Arthur “Butch” Louis Schechter died Monday, April 13. He was 86.
Schechter served as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas under President Bill Clinton. He was also a prominent Houston attorney and later chaired the Metropolitan Transit Authority.
“He departed this life surrounded by his loving family,” his relatives said in a statement. “A distinguished attorney, devoted philanthropist, dedicated public servant, steadfast political ally, passionate civic activist and beloved pillar of the Jewish community, Amb. Schechter leaves behind a legacy that touched the lives of countless individuals across Houston, the nation and beyond.”
Schechter was very involved in the Jewish community locally and nationally, serving as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. His philanthropic work also included efforts supporting the resettlement of Soviet Jews.
“Arthur Schechter believed deeply in the power of Jewish community,” Jewish Federation of Greater Houston CEO Reneé Wizig-Barrios said in a statement sent to the JHV.
“As a past board chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, he strengthened our local community while championing global Jewish connection, including fostering enduring ties to Israel with business leaders and elected officials.
“His leadership, vision and generosity have left a lasting legacy that we will honor and remember.”
Born Dec. 6, 1939, in Rosenberg, Texas, Schechter earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from The University of Texas at Austin before completing postgraduate work at the University of Houston. He was admitted to the Texas bar in 1964.
He went on to build a successful legal career, founding his own firm in 1976 and arguing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1979.
As a significant political donor and fundraiser, Schechter was a close ally of former President Clinton and a fixture in Democratic politics in Texas and nationally. Clinton appointed Schechter ambassador to the Bahamas in 1998.
He served as chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority under former Mayor Lee Brown and held leadership roles with numerous organizations focused on education, civil rights and social services.
Schechter is survived by his loving wife, Joyce Proler Schechter, and their children and grandchildren. A funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m., on Wednesday, April 15, in the sanctuary at Congregation Beth Israel.