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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The life of a distinguished public servant drew to a |
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close with the death of former state representative Roberto |
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Gutierrez of McAllen on December 28, 2019, at the age of 83; and |
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WHEREAS, Roberto Gutierrez was born on June 11, 1936; |
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answering his nation's call to duty, he served in the 49th Armored |
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Division of the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of sergeant, and he |
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went on to serve another 10 years in the Texas National Guard; in |
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civilian life, he earned a master's degree in education and enjoyed |
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a career as a secondary school teacher and counselor and as a |
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businessman; and |
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WHEREAS, First elected to the State Legislature from |
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District 41 in 1990, Representative Gutierrez served for 14 years, |
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and he devoted his tenure in office to expanding education in the |
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Rio Grande Valley, promoting public safety, and improving access to |
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health services; he was a member of the Appropriations, Public |
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Safety, and Financial Institutions Committees, among others, and |
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his many achievements included authoring the bill that created |
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South Texas Community College, helping to increase funding for The |
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University of Texas-Pan American, promoting an early diabetes |
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detection program for children, and playing a lead role in creating |
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the UT Regional Academic Health Center, which served as the |
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foundation for the UTRGV School of Medicine; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Gutierrez shared a loving union with |
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his wife, Cecilia Carmen Gutierrez, that spanned 56 years until her |
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death in 2017, and he was the proud father of three children, |
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Roberto, Gilda, and Sara; with the passing years, he had the |
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pleasure of welcoming into his family seven grandchildren, Roberto |
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Daniel, A. Cecilia, Iris Isabelle, Joel Roberto, Sarita Cecilia, |
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Gabriela Marie, and Andrea Renee; and |
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WHEREAS, Living up to his motto "dale gas," which is Spanish |
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for "go forward," Roberto Gutierrez led a rich and purposeful life |
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dedicated to the service of others, and he leaves behind a legacy |
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that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved him; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory of the |
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Honorable Roberto Gutierrez and extend heartfelt sympathy to his |
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family and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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Roberto Gutierrez. |