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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Edmundo B. Garcia, Jr., of San Diego |
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ended his distinguished tenure as county judge of Duval County on |
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December 31, 2006, and the conclusion of his service provides an |
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opportunity to pay tribute to his many contributions as an |
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outstanding public servant and South Texas leader; and |
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WHEREAS, After receiving his bachelor's degree from The |
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University of Texas at Austin in 1958, Edmundo Garcia joined the San |
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Diego Independent School District the following year; over the next |
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32 years, he devoted himself to educating the city's young people, |
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spending 17 years as a classroom teacher and 15 years in |
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administration before retiring as the district's assistant |
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superintendent in 1991; and |
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WHEREAS, While employed as an educator, Judge Garcia |
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continued to enhance his own knowledge, earning a master's degree |
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and a superintendent's certificate from Texas A&I University; he |
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also served his nation as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve between |
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1958 and 1964 and was called to active duty in 1958 and 1959; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Garcia was elected to the office of county |
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judge in the 1994 election and began presiding over the Duval County |
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Commissioners Court on January 1, 1995; he helped guide the county |
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for the next 12 years, providing wise leadership and effective |
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administration to his constituents and offering valuable input to |
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organizations such as the South Texas County Judges and |
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Commissioners Association and the Coastal Bend Council of |
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Governments; among his many achievements, he was instrumental in |
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the construction of a long-term juvenile detention facility to |
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house and rehabilitate youthful lawbreakers; and |
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WHEREAS, Active in a wide range of community affairs, Judge |
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Garcia belongs to the Knights of Columbus Council No. 2791, the San |
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Diego Rotary Club, and Sociedad Catolica Mutualista, and he has |
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served as a lector and Eucharistic minister at St. Francis de Paula |
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Catholic Church; in addition, he has been a member of the board of |
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directors for many civic organizations, including the Duval County |
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Museum, the Rural Economic Assistance League, and the Community |
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Action Council of South Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Judge Garcia has enjoyed |
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the love and support of his wife of more than 40 years, the former |
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RosaMaria Martinez, as well as his three children and six |
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grandchildren; as a public servant, educator, and involved citizen, |
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Edmundo Garcia has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to making |
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Duval County an even better place to live and work, and he may |
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reflect with justifiable pride on the legacy of achievement he has |
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established; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Judge Edmundo B. Garcia, Jr., for his |
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notable service as county judge of Duval County and commend him for |
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his long-standing commitment to the residents of South Texas; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Judge Garcia as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |