H.R. No. 931
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, The untimely passing of Mary Beatrice Romani on
    1-2  January 7, 1994, at the age of 52, has brought great sadness to the
    1-3  many friends and relatives of this beloved woman; and
    1-4        WHEREAS, Born May 16, 1941, in Laredo to Gloria and Andrew
    1-5  Smith, she was the oldest of nine children in the close-knit Smith
    1-6  family and was graduated from Martin High School in 1960, after
    1-7  which she selflessly sacrificed the opportunity to continue her own
    1-8  education to enable her siblings to fulfill their dreams of
    1-9  attending college; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, Mrs. Romani met her future husband, John Romani,
   1-11  while both were employed by McClellan's Department Store in Laredo,
   1-12  and the two were joined in matrimony on June 20, 1965; this
   1-13  cherished woman enjoyed nearly three decades of mutual love and
   1-14  devotion with her husband before her passing and was blessed with a
   1-15  fine daughter, Michelle, whose obvious admiration and affection for
   1-16  her parents greatly enhanced their happy home life; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, Mrs. Romani was endowed with the spirit of
   1-18  volunteerism, and consistently gave freely of her time and talents
   1-19  to benefit such worthy causes as the Catholic Youth Organization,
   1-20  Mary Help of Christians PTA, the Laredo Police Department, the
   1-21  Laredo Knights of Columbus, and Head Start, where, in addition to
   1-22  serving the organization as a longtime volunteer, she was also a
   1-23  valued employee for seven years; and
   1-24        WHEREAS, Even when stricken with the illness which ultimately
    2-1  claimed her life, this compassionate individual continued to place
    2-2  the welfare of others before her own, easing the burden of her
    2-3  family and fellow cancer patients with her warmth and limitless
    2-4  optimism; and
    2-5        WHEREAS, Spiritual strength was a hallmark of this remarkable
    2-6  woman's life, and she demonstrated her abiding faith as an active
    2-7  member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, where she also
    2-8  possessed one of the finest voices in the choir; and
    2-9        WHEREAS, Mary Beatrice Romani was a woman of rare compassion
   2-10  and strength; although her kind presence and gentle love has been
   2-11  greatly missed by all who knew her, her remarkable spirit lives on
   2-12  in the hearts of the many people whose lives she touched during her
   2-13  time on this earth; now, therefore, be it
   2-14        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-15  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Mary Beatrice Romani
   2-16  and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her
   2-17  husband, John A. Romani; to her daughter, Michelle Romani; to her
   2-18  mother, Gloria Smith; to her brothers and their wives, Andrew E.
   2-19  and Idolina Smith, Henry F. and Elvira Smith, and Chester F. and
   2-20  Julieta Smith; to her sisters and their husbands, Matilde Smith,
   2-21  Gloria and Bob Jamison, Josie and Sergio Vega, Maria de Jesus
   2-22  Helfrich and Martin Helfrich, and Ruby and Robert Gonzalez; to her
   2-23  sister-in-law and her husband, Cecilia and Jaime Garza; to her
   2-24  mother-in-law and her husband, Mary and Nicolas Sotelo; and to the
   2-25  many other friends and relatives of this beloved woman; and, be it
   2-26  further
   2-27        RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
    3-1  for the members of her family and that when the Texas House of
    3-2  Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Mary
    3-3  Beatrice Romani.