R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The people of the Dallas area lost a valued citizen
1-2 and a good friend with the death of Earl Luna of Garland on August
1-3 15, 1996, and the members of the Texas House of Representatives
1-4 join in mourning his passing; and
1-5 WHEREAS, A native of Caddo Mills, Mr. Luna received his early
1-6 education in Hunt County, and he had the unique experience of being
1-7 the only student in his class when he was in the ninth grade; he
1-8 went on to attend East Texas State University and The University of
1-9 Texas Law School, earning his law degree in 1949; and
1-10 WHEREAS, In June of that year, Mr. Luna embarked on a long
1-11 and distinguished legal career that would bring him great acclaim;
1-12 widely regarded as an expert in the challenging field of
1-13 constitutional law, he argued cases throughout all levels of the
1-14 state and federal judiciary, including the United States Supreme
1-15 Court; and
1-16 WHEREAS, Despite the demands of his career, this respected
1-17 gentleman still found time to devote to his community, and he drew
1-18 on his formidable professional expertise to benefit the local
1-19 public education system; a member of the Garland Independent School
1-20 District board of trustees for 11 years, he served eight terms as
1-21 president, and he later represented the district in a wide variety
1-22 of legal and administrative matters; and
1-23 WHEREAS, A staunch advocate of civil rights and equality for
1-24 all, this remarkable individual cast the deciding vote that made
2-1 the Garland school system one of the first racially integrated
2-2 districts in the area in 1963, and he played an instrumental role
2-3 in the success of the district's school choice plan, the first of
2-4 its kind in the nation; and
2-5 WHEREAS, In 1985, the district recognized him for his many
2-6 years of service by naming an elementary school in his honor, and
2-7 this well-deserved tribute was an apt reflection of the esteem in
2-8 which Mr. Luna was held; he was also an original director and
2-9 former president of Memorial Hospital of Garland, now Baylor
2-10 Medical Center at Garland, and for his service in that capacity he
2-11 received the prestigious Distinguished Health Service Award from
2-12 the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council in 1980; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Earl Luna made innumerable outstanding contributions
2-14 to his community and to the State of Texas and his legacy of good
2-15 works will ensure that his generous spirit will not be forgotten;
2-16 now, therefore, be it
2-17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas
2-18 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Earl Luna and extend
2-19 sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his beloved wife,
2-20 Mary D. Luna; to his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Robert
2-21 E. Luna; to his daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Frank
2-22 Groseclose; to his grandchildren, Robert Huntley Luna, Eleanor E.
2-23 Luna, Brannan and Stacy Smoot, and Stephanie Jacobs; and to all the
2-24 relatives and friends of this eminent Texan; and, be it further
2-25 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-26 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas
2-27 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
3-1 Earl Luna.
Driver
Laney Gutierrez Oliveira
Alexander Haggerty Olivo
Allen Hamric Palmer
Alvarado Hartnett Patterson
Averitt Hawley Pickett
Bailey Heflin Pitts
Berlanga Hernandez Place
Bonnen Hightower Price
Bosse Hilbert Puente
Brimer Hilderbran Rabuck
Burnam Hill Ramsay
Carter Hinojosa Rangel
Chavez Hirschi Raymond
Chisum Hochberg Reyna of Bexar
Christian Hodge Reyna of Dallas
Clark Holzheauser Rhodes
Coleman Horn Rodriguez
Cook Howard Roman
Corte Hunter Sadler
Counts Hupp Seaman
Crabb Isett Serna
Craddick Jackson Shields
Cuellar Janek Siebert
Culberson Jones of Lubbock Smith
Danburg Jones of Dallas Smithee
Davila Junell Solis
Davis Kamel Solomons
Delisi Keel Staples
Denny Keffer Stiles
Driver King Swinford
Dukes Krusee Talton
Dunnam Kubiak Telford
Dutton Kuempel Thompson
Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Tillery
Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Torres
Eiland Longoria Turner of Coleman
Elkins Luna Turner of Harris
Farrar McCall Uher
Finnell McClendon Van de Putte
Flores McReynolds Walker
Gallego Madden West
Galloway Marchant Williams
Garcia Maxey Williamson
Giddings Merritt Wilson
Glaze Moffat Wise
Goodman Moreno Wohlgemuth
Goolsby Mowery Wolens
Gray Naishtat Woolley
Greenberg Nixon Yarbrough
Grusendorf Oakley Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 684 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 24, 1997.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House