Walter Foxworth, the former owner of Texas-based Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Company and widely respected lumber dealer and industry advocate, passed away Aug. 2. He was 89.
He also was a past chairman of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and recently was a Lifetime Achievement Award honoree from the Lumber Association of Texas (LAT).
“Walter was a treasure—he was our friend, our colleague, and torchbearer for generations of LAT members,” a statement from the LAT reads. “This is an extraordinary loss and we will miss him, his passion for this industry, and his advocacy on behalf of us all.”
Foxworth and Foxworth-Galbraith received numerous accolades, including being recognized as the LAT Dealer of the Year in 1993.
“Walter was a true industry icon, and this is truly a great loss to many. I will personally miss Walter for his friendship, generosity, wisdom, and incredible passion for doing everything in his power to advocate on behalf of NLBMDA and the entire industry,” NLBMDA president and CEO Jonathan Paine said. “The entire NLBMDA community mourns his loss, and extend its sympathies to his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing him.”
Foxworth served as the chairman-emeritus at Foxworth-Galbraith until his retirement in 2022, the same year when US LBM acquired Foxworth-Galbraith.
“Walter was an extraordinary leader in the building materials industry, a passionate businessman and advocate for our industry for more than 60 years, even continuing that advocacy work after he retired from Foxworth-Galbraith in 2022,” US LBM president and CEO L.T. Gibson said. “Walter will be deeply missed, and our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to all his family and friends.”
