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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends are mourning the loss of Carlos |
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Garcia, Sr., of Hondo, who died on March 21, 2009, at the age of 82; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Garcia was born on October 9, 1926; he answered |
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his nation's call to arms as a young man and served a tour of duty in |
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World War II; and |
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WHEREAS, He married Magdalena Gonzales on December 4, 1943, |
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and together he and his wife raised eight sons, Carlos, Robert, |
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Arnulfo, Adolfo, Richard, Simon, Daniel, and the late Louis Roy |
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Garcia; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1953, Mr. Garcia led efforts in Hondo to |
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desegregate the public school system so that his sons would be |
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afforded the same opportunities that other students received; at |
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that time, students of Mexican American descent were enrolled at a |
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separate facility known as the West End School; and |
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WHEREAS, In order to end this form of discrimination, Mr. |
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Garcia helped to bring the American GI Forum to Hondo, and it was |
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through the GI Forum that he and four of his friends filed a lawsuit |
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against Hondo public schools for segregating its students; and |
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WHEREAS, In early 1953, Mr. Garcia and his colleagues |
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traveled to Austin to make their voices heard, and their efforts |
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were rewarded that fall, when Hondo schools were ordered to |
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integrate; and |
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WHEREAS, Because he fought for fairness, Mr. Garcia's |
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grandchildren have attended such notable schools as Sul Ross State |
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University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Oral Roberts |
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University, Texas A&M University, Tarleton State University, Texas |
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Tech University, and The University of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Carlos Garcia was a loving father and husband who |
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stood up for equal rights for all; his efforts made a difference, |
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not only for his children, but also for all succeeding generations, |
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and his life was an inspiring example of the good that one person |
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can accomplish; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Carlos Garcia, Sr., |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Magdalena; to his sons; and to his other relatives and |
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friends; and, be it 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 Carlos |
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Garcia, Sr. |