H.R. No. 682

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Residents of Austin are mourning the loss of former Travis County commissioner Richard A. Moya, who died on February 16, 2017, at the age of 84; and

WHEREAS, Born in Austin on August 14, 1932, Richard Moya was the son of Pete and Bertha Moya; he grew up in the barrio on the city's East Side, and he developed a strong sense of social justice at an early age, when his mother stood her ground against segregation in the school district to ensure he would attend his neighborhood school, Metz Elementary; as a student at Austin High School, he joined with friends to create an alternative newspaper that covered his Mexican American classmates, and when the school banned the Blah, Blah, and Blah, he distributed copies at the drugstore across the street; later, he became national president of the Junior LULAC, and he was a charter member of the Mexican American Democrats of Texas and the State Tejano Democrats; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Moya worked in the printing business before enlisting in the United States Army during the Korean War; subsequently, he was hired as a chief investigator with Travis County Legal Aid, where his bilingual skill and community contacts made him a valued staff member; and

WHEREAS, In 1971, Mr. Moya became Travis County's first Hispanic elected official, following his election as county commissioner; over the course of four terms in office, he vigorously supported diversity in hiring and worked tirelessly to improve social services; he played a key role in the establishment of an abuse unit in the district attorney's office, in the development of the StarFlight emergency services program, and in the creation of a rural transportation program, among other initiatives; although he sometimes confronted antagonism and bigotry, he surmounted obstacles with his marvelous sense of humor; he remained very accessible to the community throughout his career, and the county eventually named Richard Moya Park in his honor; and

WHEREAS, After concluding his tenure, Mr. Moya served the state as director of field operations for the agriculture commissioner; he subsequently joined the administration of Governor Ann Richards as a deputy chief of staff, a position that entailed a wide range of responsibilities; moreover, he helped her achieve her goal of diversifying state boards and commissions; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Moya's dedication to public service was exceeded only by his devotion to his family; he shared a rewarding marriage of almost 65 years with his wife, Gertrude "Gertie" Moya, and he was the proud father of two children, Danny Moya and Lori Moya; in his later years, he knew the joy of welcoming into his family three grandchildren, Misty Moya Welch, Jeffrey Daniel Delgado, and Teresa Denise Delgado, and four great-grandchildren, Nathan Bailey-Delgado, Lucas Delgado, Jacob Moya, and Danika Moya; and

WHEREAS, A groundbreaking public servant, Richard Moya effected positive change and mentored hundreds of community leaders, and although he will be deeply missed, his contributions will be remembered and admired for years to come; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Richard A. Moya and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Richard Moya.

Rodriguez of Travis Dukes Howard Israel Hinojosa

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 682 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 16, 2017.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House