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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 452
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In Memory |
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of |
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Raymond L. Telles |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and pays |
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tribute to the life of former El Paso mayor Raymond L. Telles, who |
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died March 8, 2013, at the age of 97; and |
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WHEREAS, This remarkable pioneer was the first Mexican |
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American mayor of a major Southwestern city and was a former |
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ambassador to Costa Rica; he spent his life in public service and |
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in the political limelight; he was an advisor to President John |
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F. Kennedy, but he also remained committed to local politics; he |
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was particularly dedicated to elevating Hispanics to public |
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office; and |
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WHEREAS, Born September 5, 1915, Raymond Telles grew up in |
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a very different El Paso than the one he left behind; Mr. Telles |
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is credited with challenging certain beliefs held by the |
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political establishment in the 1940s and 1950s and disproving the |
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notion that Mexican Americans were not electable and were not |
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capable of effectively running a city; he was elected to four |
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terms as El Paso County clerk and two terms as mayor of El Paso, |
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holding the latter office from 1957 to 1961; he ran his campaigns |
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with dignity and served as a model for a whole generation; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Mr. Telles was one of the |
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highest-ranking Mexican Americans in the federal government; he |
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was a trusted advisor to many national politicians and agencies; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, This highly regarded public servant has been called |
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a founding father of contemporary Latino politics in the United |
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States; his accomplishments while serving El Paso included securing |
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the world-renowned Kress art collection for the El Paso Art |
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Museum and pushing the city to hire more Hispanics for police and |
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fire department jobs; he was recognized in 2006 as Mayor Emeritus |
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of El Paso, and in 2008, he received a lifetime achievement award |
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from the Hispanos Triunfadores Awards program; and |
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WHEREAS, A loving husband and father, he shared more than |
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65 years with his late wife, Delfina, and he taught his children |
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to value service, honesty, loyalty, and community; and |
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WHEREAS, In his death, this honorable patriot and |
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decorated military veteran leaves behind an extraordinary legacy |
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as a dedicated public servant who gave Mexican Americans a voice |
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in politics and who truly served his city, state, and country; |
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his memory will long be cherished by those who shared in his life; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Raymond L. Telles; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Raymond Telles. |
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Rodriguez |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on March 13, 2013, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |