About SHB

The Spouses of Houston Barristers formerly the Houston Barristers’ Wives was organized in the fall of 1957.  The charter members were Annie Mae Conner, Bessie Davis, Vendya Doyle, Marjorie Jefferson, Leticia Plummer, Mary Wickliff and Marzella Williams.

The expressed purpose of this organization was to promote a closer union and more intimate relationship among the wives of the Houston lawyers and to enhance the image of the legal profession through civic, cultural and social services.

From left to right back:
Darleene Bonner, Vendya Doyle (C), Cheryl Johnson, Clarice Lowe, Gretchen Wiggins, Sue Wickliff, Ernestine Wagner, and Mary Wickliff (C).
Front left to right
Marzella Williams (C), Maxine Toddy (scholarship recipient), Bessie Davis(C), and Velma Jones

Over the years this organization has been successful in carrying out those purposes.  An atmosphere of warmth, friendship, kinship and encouragement still remains among its members.  The spouses have steadfastly committed themselves to financial contributions.  Significant gains have been made in enhancing the legal profession through the efforts of this organization.  Most notably among those have been the scholarship awards to deserving and outstanding students, initially meant for women having difficulty.  This organization was first to systematically assist such women who subsequently were able to embark on brilliant, successful legal careers.  The Biennial Scholarship Ball, through which these funds were raised, became an outstanding social event and still continues.  It was also a significant force in judicial campaigns.  Its members individually have worked extremely hard for the election of some of the barristers to judicial positions.  The organization frequently sponsored fund-raisers and “meet the candidate” programs.

The Spouses of Houston Barristers is a chapter of the National Association of the Bench and Bar Spouses, which is an arm of the National Bar Association.  The Houston chapter has consistently assumed a strong role in the national’s activities and has been responsible for hosting several memorable bar conventions for the National Bar Association.