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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and |
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meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the family and friends |
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of Celia Avila of Edinburg, who passed away on January 29, 2015, at |
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the age of 54; and |
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WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of her hometown, the former |
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Celia Salinas graduated from Edinburg High School in 1979 and went |
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on to attend The University of Texas--Pan American, where she |
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earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1983; she married |
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the love of her life, Jorge Avila, in 1986, and the couple enjoyed |
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28 years together and raised two daughters, Amanda and Anyssa; and |
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WHEREAS, After working as a probation officer, Ms. Avila |
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joined the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District in |
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1988 while pursuing her alternative teaching certification; she |
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subsequently became a teacher at Trevino Elementary, and in 2004 |
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she returned to UT--Pan American to attain a master's degree in |
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education; she then worked as a curriculum assistant at Freddy |
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Gonzalez Elementary before becoming principal of Truman |
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Elementary; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout her quarter-century career with ECISD, |
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Ms. Avila was dedicated to enriching educational and |
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extracurricular opportunities for students; while teaching at |
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Trevino Elementary, she organized a chess club, UIL club, and dance |
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team, and she also assisted a colleague with the Edinburg North High |
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School Golden Spurs drill team; as a principal, she worked to |
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improve her school's overall performance on state assessment tests |
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and to ensure that parents became more involved in the academic |
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journeys of their children; she was also an active member of the |
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Catholic Church, especially with the youth at Capilla San Jose in La |
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Hielera; and |
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WHEREAS, The passion and generosity of spirit that Celia |
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Avila brought to every endeavor endeared her deeply to all who knew |
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her, and she will be forever treasured by those who were blessed to |
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share in her love and affection; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Celia Avila and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her |
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husband, Jorge Avila; to her daughters, Amanda Avila and Anyssa |
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Avila and her significant other, Misael De Leon Jr.; to her parents, |
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Donato and Francisca Salinas; to her siblings, Donato Salinas Jr. |
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and his wife, Edith, Susie Mercado and her husband, Joe, Sylvia |
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Salinas, Yolanda Granados, and Inez Salinas; and to her many 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 her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Celia |
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Avila. |