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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to |
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a close when Stella Finnegan Villareal of San Antonio passed away on |
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January 20, 2013, at the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Liverpool, England, on March 25, 1926, she |
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was the daughter of Albert Finnegan, a dock worker, and Mary Ann |
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Finnegan, a union organizer who was awarded the British Empire |
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Medal by King George VI; Stella Finnegan worked in a factory during |
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World War II, and it was at that time that she met her future |
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husband, Lonnie Villareal, who was serving in the U.S. Army Air |
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Corps; after the war, the couple married and would go on to share |
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more than six decades together; and |
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WHEREAS, After a brief time in California, they eventually |
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settled in San Antonio, where Mr. Villareal returned to his job at |
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Kelly Air Force Base; Mrs. Villareal was employed at a variety of |
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jobs until the birth of her second child, when she dedicated herself |
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full-time to her family; over the years, she journeyed back to |
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England frequently and convinced four of her sisters to join her in |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Villareal joined the Mexican American |
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Democrats and began to play an active role in local politics; she |
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served on the Loma Park precinct committee for more than 30 years, |
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encouraging residents to vote and working on the campaigns of |
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numerous candidates at the city, state, and national levels; this |
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strong and independent woman also found time to return to work, |
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serving as a teacher's aide and helping children with learning |
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disabilities; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted mother, Mrs. Villareal instilled in her |
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loved ones the values of education and community service, and she |
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took great pride in her children, both of whom graduated from |
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Harvard University and went on to practice law; and |
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WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known Stella |
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Villareal will remember the way she touched their lives with her |
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enthusiasm, generosity, and dedication, and she will forever hold a |
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treasured place in their hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Stella Finnegan |
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Villareal and extend sincere condolences to the members of her |
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family: to her daughter, Patricia, and her husband, Thomas; to her |
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son, Gavin, and his wife, Cynthia; to her sisters, Theresa Vale and |
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Josephine Breen; to her brothers, Anthony and Terence Finnegan; to |
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her grandchildren, Sean, Colin, Daniel, Henry, and Julia; to her |
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caretakers, Lupe Elizondo, Helen Alaniz, Karina Sanchez, Tonia |
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Estrada, and Sherry DeLeon; and to her other relatives and many |
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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 her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Stella |
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Villareal. |