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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The people of South Texas have lost an esteemed |
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civic leader with the death of former La Joya mayor William Leo on |
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March 17, 2018, at the age of 70; and |
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WHEREAS, Billy Leo was born in Laredo on May 24, 1947, to |
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Feliz Leo and Leo James Leo, a prominent regional leader who marched |
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with Cesar Chavez and who served as mayor of La Joya; after earning |
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a political science degree at Texas A&I University in Kingsville, |
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Billy Leo enjoyed a successful career in the private sector with a |
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chain of convenience stores known as Leo's Food Mart; while |
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managing the family business, he also forged his own outstanding |
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record of civic engagement and activism; elected to the La Joya |
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school board while still in his 20s, he served from 1974 to 1981 and |
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was board president for two terms; he then served as mayor of La |
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Joya from 1981 to 1986 and as Hidalgo County clerk from 1986 to |
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1994; elected mayor again in 2003, he continued to serve in that |
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post until 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, Known as "Mr. Democrat," Mr. Leo held local party |
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meetings at his La Joya store and drew state and national leaders to |
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the area, including Robert Kennedy Jr., Bill Clinton, and his close |
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friend Ann Richards; he was a member of the Democratic National |
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Committee from 1989 to 2000 and served as a delegate to several |
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Democratic National Conventions; in addition, he was active in the |
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Mexican-American Democrats, and he led MAD in the 27th Senatorial |
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District as president; deeply engaged in his community, he was a |
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founder and president of the La Joya Lions Club, a member of the |
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Housing Authority of the County of Hidalgo, and a gubernatorial |
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appointee to the Texas-Mexico Authority and the State Community |
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Development Block Grant program; and |
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WHEREAS, A beloved role model and mentor to the next |
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generation of leaders in the Rio Grande Valley, Billy Leo dedicated |
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his life to fighting for his community and his political ideals, and |
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he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire all those |
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who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of William Leo and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Dr. Filomena Leo; to his children, Noralisa Leo and her |
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husband, Eduardo Herranz, Michael Leo, Lita Leo, Billy Leo Jr. and |
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his wife, Anne, and Letty Leo; to his five grandchildren; to his |
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siblings, James Leo and his wife, Lydia, Henry Leo, Leo J. Leo Jr. |
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and his wife, Martha, and Nellie Leo; and to his other relatives and |
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many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of William |
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Leo. |
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Longoria |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 686 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on March 21, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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