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A native of Kaufman, Texas, Clyde R. Ashworth attended North Texas Agricultural College and earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from Southern Methodist University.

Mr. Ashworth served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943-1945 and again from 1950-1953. After his military service, he started a general law practice in Arlington. He was named Judge of the 67th District Court in 1969 and later Justice of the 2nd Court of Appeals in 1983.

Judge Ashworth was the senior judge with the Texas Judicial System and presiding judge of the 8th Administrative Judicial Region. He also served Of Counsel to the law firms of Jenks Garrett and Bruce Ashworth.

He was first elected to the AISD Board of Trustees in 1958 and served until 1969. He was named president of the board in 1967. During his tenure on the board, the district began its first burst of growth which resulted in the construction of several new schools, including Sam Houston and Lamar High Schools.

The hallmark of his two-year presidency was the desegregation of the Arlington schools in 1967. Judge Ashworth is credited with leading the district calmly and quickly through this process.

In 1992, Judge Ashworth was shot in a shooting spree at the Tarrant County Courthouse that left him temporarily paralyzed. As with all things, Judge Ashworth met his paralysis with determination and a positive attitude and was later able to walk.

His wife, Ira Jean, were married more than 50 years before she passed away in 1996. They had four children and several grandchildren. Judge Ashworth passed away in 2010.

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