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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 488
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In Memory |
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of |
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Oscar Soliz |
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WHEREAS, Nueces County lost an admired public servant with |
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the passing of retired district clerk Oscar Soliz of Corpus |
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Christi on December 15, 2014, at the age of 80; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Corpus Christi on March 8, 1934, Oscar |
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Soliz was the son of Joe A. Soliz and Anita Gonzales Soliz; he |
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excelled in both football and baseball as a high school student |
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at Corpus Christi College-Academy; subsequently, he attended |
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Texas Christian University on a football scholarship before |
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completing bachelor's degrees in political science and law |
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enforcement at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Soliz married his high school sweetheart, Ola |
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Mae Trammell, in 1954; devoted to his family, he took great pride |
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in his children, Joseph, Jesse, Jackie, and Jennifer, and |
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steadfastly encouraged them to pursue their dreams; and |
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WHEREAS, After working alongside his father for a number of |
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years at the S and G Sales auto dealership, Mr. Soliz was elected |
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Nueces County district clerk in 1970, becoming one of the first |
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Latinos to win a countywide race in the area; his outstanding |
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service in office spanned 32 years, and during that time, he not |
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only excelled in fulfilling the duties of his position but also |
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promoted good governance by taking on a range of additional |
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responsibilities; he was appointed by Governor Preston Smith to |
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the Criminal Justice Council and the Criminal Justice Board, and |
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he represented Texas district clerks on task forces dealing with |
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a host of issues, including child support enforcement and |
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information technology; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic leader was the longest-serving |
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member of the National Association of County Officials Board, and |
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for more than a quarter of a century, he was a member of the |
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boards of the Texas Association of Counties and the Texas |
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Association of Regional Councils; in addition, he served as chair |
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of the Coastal Bend Council of Governments and as president of |
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the National Association of Regional Councils, the National |
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Association of Hispanic County Officials, and the National |
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Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks; |
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highly respected by his peers, he was the recipient of a long list |
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of prestigious accolades from national and state professional |
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organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to his other achievements, Mr. Soliz |
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held leadership positions in such organizations as the Boy Scouts |
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of America, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and |
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the United Way of the Coastal Bend; he belonged to Saint John the |
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Baptist Catholic Church and was active in the Knights of Columbus |
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and the International Order of Alhambra; an enthusiastic |
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political activist, he supported Democratic candidates at the |
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local, state, and national levels, served on the Democratic |
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National Committee, and was a super delegate at a number of the |
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party's national conventions; moreover, he was elected by the |
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Area Council on Aging to represent the Coastal Bend Region in the |
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Texas Silver-Haired Legislature; and |
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WHEREAS, A warmhearted, humble, and engaging man, Oscar |
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Soliz is deeply missed by his family, friends, and colleagues, |
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but they will continue to find inspiration in the outstanding |
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contributions he made to his community and state; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of Oscar Soliz and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: his |
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wife of 60 years, Ola Mae Soliz; his sons, Joseph Soliz and his |
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wife, Juanita, and Jesse Soliz and his wife, Judy Pokorny; his |
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daughters, Jackie Soliz-Chapa and her husband, Mario Chapa, and |
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Jennifer Soliz; his grandchildren, Lauren and Michael Soliz; and |
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his other relatives and many friends; 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 Oscar Soliz. |
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Hinojosa |
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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 April 7, 2015, 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 |