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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Esteemed attorney, public servant, and political |
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activist Peter Torres, Jr., of San Antonio passed away on April 27, |
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2007, leaving behind a memorable legacy of accomplishments; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on December 2, 1933, Pete Torres |
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served his country as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps during the |
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Korean War; after returning to San Antonio, he graduated cum laude |
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with a bachelor's degree in government from St. Mary's University in |
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1957 and continued on to earn his law degree at St. Mary's while |
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working as a teacher in the Edgewood Independent School District; |
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Mr. Torres earned certification in the practice of criminal law, |
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one of the first lawyers in his city to do so, and he was also |
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certified in consumer and commercial law and took on many cases |
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involving consumer issues during his career; and |
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WHEREAS, Seeking a role in local government, Mr. Torres won a |
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seat on the San Antonio City Council in 1967 and for the next four |
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years devoted himself to making San Antonio government more |
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accessible to all of the city's residents; and |
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WHEREAS, His activism also extended to many professional |
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organizations; he was a founding member and former president of the |
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Mexican American Bar Association of San Antonio, and he played a |
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strong leadership role in the legal community through his service |
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in such positions as chair of the Hispanic Issues Section of the |
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State Bar of Texas and president of the San Antonio Trial Lawyers |
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Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Highly respected in his field, this skilled attorney |
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received many honors over the years, including induction into the |
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American Board of Trial Advocates and receipt of the Reynaldo G. |
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Garza Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mexican-American Bar |
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Association of Texas and the Henry B. Gonzalez Award from the St. |
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Mary's University Hispanic Law Alumni Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Pete Torres was an inspiring role model for many |
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people and his distinguished 44-year legal career and his |
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pioneering work in politics and civic affairs have had a lasting |
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impact on the city he was proud to call home; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Peter Torres, Jr., and |
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offer condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Shirley |
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A. Ehrlich; to his children, Denise Tompkins, Peter Alan Torres, |
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Tina Cheryl Torres, and Paul A. Torres; to his former wife and the |
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mother of his children, Yolanda P. Torres; to his grandchildren, |
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Tahnce Tompkins, Peter Michael Torres, Savannah Rae Torres, and |
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Gabriella Elizabeth Foglio; to his siblings, Dolores Juliano and |
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her husband, Johnny, Roger Torres and his wife, Sandy, and Frank |
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Torres; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Pete |
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Torres. |