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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, A full and productive life drew to a close with the |
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passing of esteemed civic leader Pete Almodova Gallego, Jr., of |
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Alpine on March 4, 2010, at the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Alpine on February 17, 1925, Mr. Gallego was |
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the son of Pete Russell Gallego and Victoria Almodova; he came of |
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age during World War II and served in the United States Army in the |
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Pacific theater, and he earned the Victory and American Theater |
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ribbons, a Good Conduct Medal, and a Bronze Star, among other |
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honors; during his freshman year at Sul Ross State University, he |
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met Elena Peña, and the couple married the following year; they |
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later became the parents of four treasured children, Imelda, |
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Rebecca, Pete, and Robert; and |
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WHEREAS, The first member of his family to graduate from |
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college, Mr. Gallego earned his bachelor's degree in business |
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administration; he joined the family restaurant business, then |
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known as the Green Cafe, and began serving his community in a |
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variety of leadership roles; helping Latinos gain access to banking |
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services, he shared his accounting skills with a credit union |
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established by a local Catholic priest; he became the first |
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treasurer of Our Lady of Peace Credit Union, which operated for many |
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years from the dining room table in his home and then from his cafe |
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so members could stop by in the evening after their work; he later |
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served as president, chair, and member of the board as the credit |
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union grew to become the Alpine Community Credit Union, an |
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institution with more than $10 million in assets; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan became the first Latino trustee |
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of the Alpine Independent School District in 1959 and was elected to |
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four more consecutive three-year terms; he played a key role in the |
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desegregation of area schools and in the construction of a new high |
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school, the addition of a wing to Central Elementary School, the |
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remodeling of the old high school into a united junior high, and the |
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closure of Centennial School; although some customers boycotted his |
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restaurant to protest integration, Mr. Gallego remained steadfast; |
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the school closure and the construction of a new interstate also |
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affected the business, and he moved it across town, becoming the |
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first Latino to own commercial property on Holland Avenue; and |
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WHEREAS, Gallego's Mexican Food Restaurant won a loyal |
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following among college students in its new location, and |
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Mr. Gallego expanded its operations, shipping chiles rellenos, |
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tamales, and masa to stores around the state; through the years, he |
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helped many young people achieve their dreams by giving them jobs |
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and donating money for their college funds; in 2001, four years |
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after his retirement, he was named Paul Forcheimer Business Person |
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of the Year in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the |
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community; he continued to volunteer for worthy causes and enjoyed |
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spending time with his family, maintaining his properties, and |
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riding his mowing tractor; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of great generosity, integrity, and |
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determination, Pete A. Gallego is deeply missed by the host of |
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people whose lives he touched, but his legacy of achievement |
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continues to resonate in the community he loved and served so well; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Pete |
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Almodova Gallego and extend sincere sympathy to his loved ones: to |
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his wife of more than six decades, Elena Peña Gallego; to his |
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daughters, Imelda Gallego Garcia and her husband, Jose Garcia, |
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R.Ph., and Rebecca P. Gallego, M.D.; to his son, the Honorable Pete |
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P. Gallego, and his wife, Maria Elena Ramon; to his grandchildren, |
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Maria Imelda, Maria Elena, and Briana Garcia, Cristina P. Gallego, |
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and Nicolas Miguel Ramon Gallego; and to his other relatives and |
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many 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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Pete A. Gallego, Jr. |