H.R. No. 148
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, The death of Jack Ratkovic of Corpus Christi on
    1-2  February 7, 1995, has brought a great loss to the family and many
    1-3  friends and associates of this distinguished advocate for the
    1-4  senior citizens of Nueces County; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Born on January 22, 1914, in Chicago, Illinois,
    1-6  Mr. Ratkovic devoted much of his career to public service,
    1-7  including many years with the Chicago Parks Department, which he
    1-8  served as director of recreation before his retirement; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Mr. Ratkovic and his wife Bernice moved to Corpus
   1-10  Christi in 1980 and quickly became active in the betterment of
   1-11  their new community; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, Committed to the enrichment of the city and the
   1-13  Padre Island area, Mr. Ratkovic served on the Corpus Christi Parks
   1-14  and Recreation Committee and was active in the establishment of the
   1-15  Ethel Eyerly Community Center in Flour Bluff; and
   1-16        WHEREAS, He represented the senior citizens of the area as a
   1-17  three-term member of the Texas Silver Haired Legislature, in which
   1-18  he served on the human services and insurance committees, the
   1-19  latter of which he chaired in 1994; and
   1-20        WHEREAS, His many contributions to the community and the
   1-21  state were widely recognized; he received the Governor's Public
   1-22  Service Award from Governor Ann Richards in 1991, and in 1994 he
   1-23  became the first recipient of the Padre Island Business
   1-24  Association's Citizen of the Year Award; and
    2-1        WHEREAS, Mr. Ratkovic also found time to devote his
    2-2  extraordinary energy to a variety of other civic and social
    2-3  organizations, including the Kiwanis Club, of which he was a gold
    2-4  star member, and the Polish Organization of South Texas, where he
    2-5  was renowned for his Polish sausage; and
    2-6        WHEREAS, Jack Ratkovic was committed to improving the quality
    2-7  of life in his community and for all his fellow citizens; although
    2-8  he will be missed by his family, friends, and many other admirers,
    2-9  his legacy of public service will endure for years to come; now,
   2-10  therefore, be it
   2-11        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-12  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Jack Ratkovic and
   2-13  extend deepest sympathy to his wife, Bernice, and to the other
   2-14  members of his family and his friends; and, be it further
   2-15        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-16  prepared for the members of his family and that when the house of
   2-17  representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jack
   2-18  Ratkovic.