By Rangel                                             H.R. No. 1181

         75R13907 JTR-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, On March 26, 1997, Corporal Roel Garcia of the Texas

 1-2     Department of Public Safety was killed in an automobile accident at

 1-3     the age of 37, and we join his family and many friends in mourning

 1-4     their incalculable loss; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, A native Texan, Corporal Garcia was born in

 1-6     Falfurrias on August 24, 1959, to Humberto and Elda Garcia, and he

 1-7     attended Falfurrias High School and Del Mar College before

 1-8     embarking on his career in law enforcement; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, In 1981, Corporal Garcia joined the Department of

1-10     Public Safety, and he soon distinguished himself as a peace officer

1-11     of integrity and ability; initially stationed in El Campo, in 1985

1-12     he returned to his hometown to serve the citizens there; and

1-13           WHEREAS, Adept in the skills of his trade, Corporal Garcia

1-14     gave generously of his time and practical experience to act as an

1-15     instructor in the Department of Public Safety's specialized

1-16     schools, sharing his expertise in drug interdiction, performance

1-17     driving, and firearms with his colleagues; and

1-18           WHEREAS, The esteem in which Corporal Garcia was held by his

1-19     professional superiors is evident from the many honors he was

1-20     accorded, and in addition to a number of commendation letters, he

1-21     received a Director's Citation recognizing his role in initiating

1-22     20 drug interdiction cases in one year; and

1-23           WHEREAS, Deeply committed to his work, Corporal Garcia was en

1-24     route to participate in a drug task force when he met his untimely

 2-1     death, and the tragedy of his passing is sharpened by the awareness

 2-2     of the further contributions he might have made; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, Although he will be greatly missed, Roel Garcia's

 2-4     life and work stand as eloquent testimony to his time on this

 2-5     earth, and his spirit will live on in the hearts of the many people

 2-6     whose lives he touched; now, therefore, be it

 2-7           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 2-8     Legislature hereby honor the memory of Corporal Roel Garcia of the

 2-9     Texas Department of Public Safety and extend sincere sympathy to

2-10     the members of his family: to his daughters, Sarah and Victoria; to

2-11     his parents, Humberto and Elda Garcia; to his grandmother, Elica

2-12     Garcia; to his sister, Louella Mora; and to his brothers, Homer

2-13     Garcia and Humberto Garcia, Jr.; and, be it further

2-14           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-15     prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas

2-16     House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of

2-17     Corporal Roel Garcia.