88S40745 BK-D
 
  By: Johnson of Dallas H.R. No. 107
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Ralph Hockley of Dallas, a
  Holocaust survivor who distinguished himself through his exemplary
  service to his fellow citizens, passed away on November 8, 2023, at
  the age of 98; and
         WHEREAS, Born as Rudolph Martin Hockenheimer on October 17,
  1925, Ralph Hockley grew up in a Jewish household in Karlsruhe,
  Germany; after Adolf Hitler rose to power, he and his family sought
  refuge in Marseille, France, only to once again find themselves
  under threat when the Nazis invaded France in May 1940; Mr. Hockley
  was targeted for being a German immigrant and ultimately expelled
  from school, while his father was arrested and held in various
  internment camps; and
         WHEREAS, Unable to return to school, Mr. Hockley used his
  German, English, and French language skills to become an
  interpreter for the American Friends Service Committee, a
  Quaker-run organization that helped refugees to escape Nazi Germany
  and occupied France; Mr. Hockley went on to use his connections to
  the Quakers and the U.S. Consulate to secure visas for himself and
  his family; after a long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the
  Hockleys arrived in New York on June 30, 1941; and
         WHEREAS, On the day he turned 18 years old, Mr. Hockley
  enlisted in the U.S. Army, and he was eventually deployed to Europe
  for assignments in port security and counterintelligence; in May
  1946, he concluded his active duty service at the rank of sergeant
  and remained in the army reserve; he subsequently earned a
  bachelor's degree in Soviet studies from Syracuse University before
  returning to active duty during the Korean War; he served in seven
  campaigns in Korea, including as a forward observer for French
  United Nations forces during the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge; in
  recognition of his valorous actions in that war, he earned a Bronze
  Star Medal with a "V" device, and he continued his career in
  U.S. intelligence in West Germany until 1981; he accepted the
  Legion of Honour, France's top civilian honor, in 2021; and
         WHEREAS, From an early age, Mr. Hockley actively sought out
  service opportunities in a number of organizations, including the
  Free French youth association and the United Nations Appeal for
  Children; for more than 70 years, he was a member of the Reserve
  Officers Association of the United States, in which he held various
  offices; he further served as president of the San Francisco branch
  of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and as a
  chapter president of the Korean War Veterans Association; in 2000,
  he published a book about his military career and his experience
  living in Nazi Germany, Freedom Is Not Free; he resided in the
  Dallas area for a decade before his passing, and he had recently
  begun sharing his story with visitors to the Dallas Holocaust and
  Human Rights Museum and with other adult and student groups; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Hockley met his first wife, fellow Holocaust
  survivor Eva Frankel, in Oakland, California, and the couple shared
  in the joy of raising two children, Clifford and Denise; after her
  death in 1983, he was fortunate to find love a second time with the
  former Carolyn Glover Harris, his wife of nearly four decades; he
  was blessed with a blended family that included three stepchildren,
  Kris, Heidi, and Kirk, as well as many grandchildren,
  step-grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and
         WHEREAS, After bearing witness to one of the darkest chapters
  in history, Ralph Hockley courageously stepped forward to serve his
  adopted country and to defend the cause of freedom, and those he
  leaves behind will forever find inspiration in their memories of
  this extraordinary man; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
  Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of
  Ralph Hockley and extend heartfelt sympathy to the members of his
  family: to his wife, Carolyn Glover Hockley; to his children,
  Clifford Hockley and Denise Hockley; to his stepchildren, Kris
  Harris, Heidi Hargis, and Dr. Kirk Harris; to his grandchildren,
  step-grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and to his other
  relatives and friends; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
  Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ralph
  Hockley.