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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, With the passing of Arturo C. Gonzalez on December |
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21, 2012, at the age of 104, the city of Del Rio lost a remarkable |
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man who made it his life's work to seek equality and justice for |
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those less fortunate; and |
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WHEREAS, Arturo Gonzalez was born in Del Rio to Sergio |
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Gonzalez, Sr., and Genoveva Castro on October 4, 1908; he attended |
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Guadalupe Catholic School and went on to Del Rio High School, where |
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he participated in the Wildcats Baseball Club; a chance encounter |
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with an ad for the American Correspondence School of Law on the back |
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of a discarded magazine led Mr. Gonzalez to what would become his |
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professional goal--to ensure that the poor had able legal |
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representation and protection in the courts; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez learned a great deal about the law by |
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observation, serving as an interpreter for the court of Judge Brian |
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Montague in the early 1930s; the local Rotary Club loaned Mr. |
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Gonzalez $300 to travel to Austin and take the state bar exam, and |
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after receiving his license in February 1935, he set up an office |
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above Ross Drug Store on Canal Street; and |
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WHEREAS, While building his practice, Mr. Gonzalez joined the |
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League of United Latin American Citizens, and he later served as |
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president of LULAC Council No. 18; in an effort to develop public |
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housing, he went door-to-door seeking key information from |
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households, and he became the first executive director of the Del |
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Rio Housing Authority; along the way, he answered his nation's call |
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to duty with service in the United States Army during World War II; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Gonzalez enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Blanca, who predeceased him, as well as |
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their five children; he was an enthusiastic fan of AAA minor league |
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baseball franchises and an avid listener of local radio station |
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XERF; although he rarely ventured too far away from his office, he |
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took pleasure in trips to Cuba to visit his wife's family; and |
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WHEREAS, Arturo Gonzalez inspired countless people with his |
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drive, leadership, and commitment to the greater good, and he will |
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always be remembered with admiration and affection; now, therefore, |
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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 life of Arturo C. Gonzalez and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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children, Daisy Arledge, Kathy Benson and her husband, Bob, Arthur |
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Gonzalez and his wife, Becky, Sergio Gonzalez and his wife, Diana, |
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and Blanca Larson and her husband, Frank; to his grandchildren, Sol |
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and Yvette Arledge, Diana, Greg, Jim, and Kurt Benson, Eric, |
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Monica, Rene, and Miguel Gonzalez, America, Daisy, and Sergio |
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"Nene" Gonzalez, and Adrian and Chelsy Larson; and to his other |
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relatives and 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 Arturo C. |
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Gonzalez. |