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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Lionel Aron Peņa of Edinburg has distinguished |
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himself as a highly regarded attorney and civic leader; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Baltazar and Guadalupe Peņa, Lionel Aron |
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Peņa was born on October 16, 1935, in Elsa, and he went on to become |
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the valedictorian of the Edcouch-Elsa High School Class of 1954; he |
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also joined the National Guard, achieving the rank of sergeant, and |
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he was president of the pre-law society at The University of |
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Texas--Pan American, graduating with honors from the institution in |
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1957; three years later, he earned a juris doctor degree from the UT |
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Austin School of Law; and |
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WHEREAS, Settling in Edinburg, Mr. Peņa joined the firm of |
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Rankin, Kilgore, Cherry, and Martinez, and in 1962, he and his |
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partners launched a practice that would become Peņa, McDonald, |
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Prestia, and Ornelas; in the late 1970s, Mr. Peņa was admitted as an |
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attorney and counselor of the U.S. Court of Appeals and the Supreme |
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Court of the United States, and he was certified in criminal law by |
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the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in December 1981; he later |
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obtained licensure to practice in the Southern and Western District |
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Courts of Texas and in Michigan, Illinois, and Arkansas; he was the |
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attorney for both the City of Edinburg and the Edinburg |
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Consolidated School District for 15 years, and he represented the |
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Edinburg Hospital for two decades; he was also on the board of the |
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Hidalgo County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Active in many local organizations, Mr. Peņa is a |
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past president of the Edinburg Jaycees, the Edinburg Chamber of |
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Commerce, the Corpus Christi Diocesan Council of Catholic Men, and |
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the Lions Club, which he has been involved with for 40 years; he has |
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also served on the board of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership and on |
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the Edinburg City Commission, and he was mayor pro tempore for six |
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years; and |
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WHEREAS, A loving patriarch, Mr. Peņa has been married to his |
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wife, Sylvia, since 1958, and they have shared the joy of welcoming |
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into their family six children, Lionel Aron, John Eric, Mark, Evie, |
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Jeff, and Louis Dominic; he takes great pleasure in spending time |
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with his loved ones, including his 25 grandchildren and 5 |
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great-grandchildren, and in traveling, playing tennis, and |
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attending the theater; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Peņa has devoted himself to his family, his |
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profession, and his community, and he is an inspiration to all those |
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who are privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Lionel Aron Peņa on his notable |
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achievements and his contributions to his community and extend to |
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him sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; 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 Mr. Peņa as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |