H.R. No. 698

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Former Texas State Representative J. A. Garcia
	Jr. of Raymondville has dedicated much of his life to serving his
	community and his state, and he is truly deserving of special
	recognition; and
	WHEREAS, Joseph Alexander Garcia Jr. was born in Brownsville
	in 1936 to J. A. and Bertha Garcia; after earning a bachelor's
	degree from the College of Agriculture at Texas A&I University in
	1960, he worked for 12 years as the manager of the Garcia Ranch;
	since 1977, he has been the owner and manager of JASA Ranch LLC; and
	WHEREAS, In May 1968, Mr. Garcia won a special election to
	fill the vacant house seat for District 48-F, which encompassed
	Brooks, Cameron, Kenedy, and Willacy Counties, and voters returned
	him to office for the 61st and 62nd Legislatures; over the course of
	his tenure in the house, he served on the Agriculture, Livestock,
	Liquor Regulation, and State Affairs Committees for multiple
	sessions and was vice chair of the Claims Committee during the 62nd
	Regular Session in 1971; his accomplishments included introducing
	the legislation that created Texas A&I University at Corpus Christi
	and the bill that created a Texas Parks and Wildlife stamp to better
	regulate the hunting of the white wing dove; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Garcia concluded his legislative service in
	1972, the same year he began his work as the chief fiscal officer
	for Texas A&I University at Corpus Christi, a position he held until
	1977; in 1983, he became the Kenedy County judge, and he continued
	to preside over the commissioners court for 27 years before
	stepping down in 2010; and
	WHEREAS, This esteemed civic leader has played an integral
	role in numerous community and business organizations; he was chair
	of the Willacy County Red Cross and the Kenedy County Democratic
	Executive Committee, and he held membership on the boards of the
	Texas A&I University Alumni Association, American Red Cross Coastal
	Bend Texas, the Raymondville Chamber of Commerce, Harlingen
	National Bank, and the Willacy County Beef Syndicate; in addition,
	he was a member of the Matamoros/Brownsville Bi-National Planning
	Commission and the Housing Commission of the Lower Rio Grande
	Valley Development Council; since 1996, he has served on the board
	of the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, and he
	has been the foundation's president for the past 18 years; and
	WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Garcia enjoys the love and
	support of his wife, the former Sue Ann Barr, and his children,
	J. Alex Garcia III, Felicia Ann Garcia Baldwin, and Sandra Sue
	Garcia Burns; and
	WHEREAS, Known affectionately as "Sporty," J. A. Garcia has
	spent more than a half century working in behalf of his fellow South
	Texas residents, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his many
	achievements; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
	Legislature hereby commend the Honorable J. A. Garcia Jr. for his
	distinguished record of public service and extend to him sincere
	best wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Mr. Garcia as an expression of high regard by the Texas
	House of Representatives.
	Guillen
	Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Oliverson
	Allen Guillen Ortega
	Allison Gutierrez Pacheco
	Anchia Harless Paddie
	Anderson Harris Parker
	Ashby Hefner Patterson
	Bailes Hernandez Paul
	Beckley Herrero Perez
	Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Phelan
	Bell of Montgomery Holland Price
	Bernal Howard Ramos
	Biedermann Huberty Raney
	Blanco Hunter Raymond
	Bohac Israel Reynolds
	Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
	Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr.
	Buckley Johnson of Harris Rose
	Bucy Kacal Rosenthal
	Burns King of Hemphill Sanford
	Burrows King of Parker Schaefer
	Button King of Uvalde Shaheen
	Cain Klick Sheffield
	Calanni Krause Sherman, Sr.
	Canales Kuempel Shine
	Capriglione Lambert Smith
	Clardy Landgraf Smithee
	Cole Lang Springer
	Coleman Larson Stephenson
	Collier Leach Stickland
	Cortez Leman Stucky
	Craddick Longoria Swanson
	Cyrier Lozano Talarico
	Darby Lucio III Thierry
	Davis of Dallas Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
	Davis of Harris Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
	Dean Metcalf Tinderholt
	Deshotel Meyer Toth
	Dominguez Meza Turner of Dallas
	Dutton Middleton Turner of Tarrant
	Farrar Miller VanDeaver
	Fierro Minjarez Vo
	Flynn Moody Walle
	Frank Morales White
	Frullo Morrison Wilson
	Geren Muñoz, Jr. Wray
	Gervin-Hawkins Murphy Wu
	Goldman Murr Zedler
	González of Dallas Neave Zerwas
	González of El Paso Nevárez Zwiener
	Goodwin Noble
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 698 was adopted by the House on March 5,
	2019, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House