So much has been said and written about the life of Dr. Allan Saxe since his passing last month that it’s difficult to contribute further to his story other than to share some portion of personal experience with him.
To begin at the beginning seems the right place. For me, it was when I stepped out on my campaign to become Arlington’s mayor in 1987.
Allan called me, said he was glad I was going to seek that office, but wanted to show me a part of the community he was sure I didn’t know about. To accomplish that, he wanted me to join him on one of his Meals on Wheels routes taking food to people who couldn’t prepare their own food.
When I accepted that invitation, I discovered he was right in his conclusion that there was something more for me to learn about the lives of some of our city’s residents.
But, I also witnessed Allan’s heart for others that spanned his lifetime.
By now, most people have heard or read that Allan gave away all of his money except for what he needed to support his modest life. That included a substantial six-figure inheritance from his mother.
I asked him why. His answer was as simple as it was profound. He said it was because there were many people “out there” who needed it more than him.
Arlington is greatly blessed with philanthropic individuals who share their wealth across the city’s many public and private entities, non-profit, and community service organizations. But, none of them that I know of, give away all their money.
Only Allan did that and it qualifies a conclusion that he was truly an original, one-of-a-kind supporter of the place he called home for most of his 85 years. His financial support spanned countless organizations helping and serving others.
For 54 of those years, he served as a professor of political science at UT Arlington which reveals another aspect of his life that was formed by the same values that motivated his generosity.
He loved his students. Often I got to see that revealed as a guest speaker in some of his classrooms. He wanted them to know how our country had developed the most successful political system in history.
So, he taught them about how it worked or, how it was supposed to work, and how to evaluate outcomes so they could contribute to its ongoing success and preserve our rights and privileges as the freest people in the world.
He also was not above appearing in ways that some may consider inglorious. If it helped others, he was all in.
The best example I can provide is when he suited up in the oversized costume of River Legacy Foundation’s mascot, Forest the Squirrel, at the gala opening at The Ballpark in Arlington with then candidate-for-governor George W. Bush in attendance.
The occasion was to receive the Texas Rangers Baseball Club’s substantial donation to the Foundation’s Nuts About Nature fundraising program. Of course, Allan had made his own contribution and many more in years to come.
Forest (Allan) approached the future president and engaged him in some back-and-forth tomfoolery much to the apprehension of Bush’s campaign staff who feared the appearance of some photos that might be seen as fodder for a political opponent.
A few years ago, Arlington Today ran a feature on his and his wife Ruthie’s wedding that took place following their 40-year-long courtship. Her name appears alongside his own on commemorative plaques, signs, and tributes recognizing the role of this remarkable couple in the life of our community.
Allan is greatly missed but his legacy is now an integral part of Arlington’s fabric. We are very fortunate that he came our way.
