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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud Aggies will forever remember the life and |
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achievements of distinguished Texas A&M University alumnus Homer T. |
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Martinez, who passed away on September 11, 1993; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Diego, Texas, in 1912, Mr. Martinez was |
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recruited to A&M by the legendary "Pinky" Wilson, who penned the |
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"Aggie War Hymn"; a member of the Corps of Cadets, Mr. Martinez was |
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cadet captain of Company D and executive officer of the First |
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Battalion, and he earned distinction as the Best Drilled Man in the |
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Corps; he was also a member of the T Association, as well as an |
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outfielder and pitcher for the Aggie baseball team, helping to |
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clinch the 1934 Southwest Conference championship; he graduated |
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from the School of Veterinary Medicine in 1937; and |
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WHEREAS, Answering his nation's call to duty during World War |
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II, Dr. Martinez enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941 and served with |
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the Veterinary Corps in the Burma Theater; he was discharged in 1945 |
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at the rank of captain; his younger brother, Ed, lost his life in |
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the European Theater and is among those honored with a plaque in the |
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A&M Memorial Student Center; and |
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WHEREAS, After the war, Dr. Martinez settled in |
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Hebbronville, where he maintained a veterinary practice; he often |
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donated his services to clients who could not afford to pay, and he |
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was regularly consulted by the veterinarian at nearby King Ranch; |
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working with his father and uncle, he was a rancher himself and was |
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renowned for his expertise in animal genetics and nutrition; the |
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ranch herd he developed produced a Reserve Grand Champion steer at |
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the San Antonio Livestock Show in 1959 that was raised and shown by |
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his nephew Arnoldo Martinez Jr., and Dr. Martinez raised a |
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successful racehorse, Tonto Parr, which won races in Texas, New |
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Mexico, and California; highly respected for the quality of his |
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horses, he often sold them to the Mexican military for the purposes |
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of equestrian competition; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1963, Dr. Martinez was elected county judge and |
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served for 16 years, in addition to holding the office of school |
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superintendent ex officio; under his leadership, the county |
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improved its roads and built new schools, an airport, and a public |
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swimming pool; he was featured in the publication ¡Siempre!, which |
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celebrated the contributions of Hispanic students, faculty, and |
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staff at Texas A&M over the course of 130 years, and he was |
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posthumously inducted into the Latin American International Sports |
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Hall of Fame in Laredo in 1995; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted family man, Dr. Martinez enjoyed a 57-year |
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marriage with his wife, Beatrice, and he was the proud father of a |
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daughter, Diana, and three sons who all attended Texas A&M, Homer, |
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Ed, and Joe, as did his grandson, Homer Martinez III; and |
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WHEREAS, Homer Martinez lived a full and generous life in the |
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service of his community, his nation, and his beloved alma mater, |
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and his contributions will resonate for years to come; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and legacy of Homer T. |
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Martinez. |
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Herrero |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1655 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 4, 2017. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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