By:  Holzheauser                                       H.R. No. 113
       73R2658 LBD-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, On Friday, January 15, 1993, members of the Pastucha
    1-2  family were formally honored by the Texas Department of Agriculture
    1-3  for the historic contributions their many generations have made to
    1-4  the economic and cultural development of the State of Texas; having
    1-5  owned and operated their land continuously for more than 100 years,
    1-6  the Pastuchas and 84 other families with similar records of
    1-7  achievement were recognized in a special ceremony of the Texas
    1-8  Family Land Heritage program; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Initiated in 1974, this unique program has paid
   1-10  tribute to the more than 2,000 farms and ranches that, for more
   1-11  than a century, have proven valuable to Texans everywhere,
   1-12  providing financial prosperity and acting as a treasured cultural
   1-13  point of reference; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, In 1868, Vollintine Cicora laid claim to 72 acres of
   1-15  land in southeast Texas' Lavaca County; here, this rugged
   1-16  individual toiled beneath the hot Texas sun, raising cattle and
   1-17  horses, cultivating crops of cotton and corn, and forming a special
   1-18  relationship with the land that would endure in the hearts of
   1-19  generations to follow; and
   1-20        WHEREAS, A log barn built by Mr. Cicora stands today as a
   1-21  reminder of this founder who, with courage and determination,
   1-22  carved out of the land a way of life for his family; here, on this
   1-23  same plot of land, David Lee Pastucha, William T. Pastucha, Jr.,
   1-24  and Mary Pastucha Polasek continue in the worthy footsteps of their
    2-1  great-great-uncle, growing corn, milo, hay, and pecans and raising
    2-2  cattle; and
    2-3        WHEREAS, Texans, who traditionally have looked to the land
    2-4  for their identity, owe a great deal to the spirit of families such
    2-5  as these; the timeless values of the dedicated men and women who
    2-6  continue to live and work on this state's farms and ranches are a
    2-7  source of pride for all and a reminder of a legendary heritage that
    2-8  is often easily forgotten; and
    2-9        WHEREAS, The value of Pastucha Ranch extends far beyond
   2-10  simple financial profit; rather, its true worth is realized in the
   2-11  tradition of pride instilled in the hearts of those who have,
   2-12  through years of labor, formed a lasting bond with the land; now,
   2-13  therefore, be it
   2-14        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
   2-15  Legislature hereby honor the Pastucha family for its many special
   2-16  contributions to the spirit of the State of Texas over the past
   2-17  century; and, be it further
   2-18        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-19  prepared for Mr. David Lee Pastucha, Mr. William T. Pastucha, Jr.,
   2-20  and Ms. Mary Pastucha Polasek as an expression of high esteem by
   2-21  the Texas House of Representatives.