High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. (April 13, 1917 – May 29, 2011) was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction. Clements` eight years in office were the most served by any Texan governor prior to current Governor Rick Perry.