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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life of extraordinary achievement drew to a close |
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with the passing of the Honorable John F. "Jack" Onion Jr. of Austin |
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on September 2, 2018, at the age of 93; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on March 27, 1925, in San Antonio, Jack Onion |
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was the son of Judge John F. Onion and Harriet Onion and the |
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grandson of former state representative John Frank Onion; after |
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graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School, he enlisted along |
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with his twin brother, James, in the United States Marine Corps, |
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where he served our country during the invasion of Okinawa and the |
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occupation of Japan at the end of World War II; upon returning home |
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from the war, he pursued his childhood dream to become an attorney |
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by graduating from Trinity University and The University of Texas |
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School of Law; and |
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WHEREAS, A dedicated public servant, Judge Onion joined the |
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Bexar County District Attorney's Office and went on to become chief |
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of its civil division; in 1954, at the age of 29, he was elected a |
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justice of the peace in Bexar County, where he brought to Texas its |
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first ever medical examiner's office; continuing his success in the |
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Texas judiciary, he won his campaign to preside over Bexar County |
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Criminal District Court No. 2, making him the youngest elected |
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district judge in the state at the time; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1966, Judge Onion was elevated to a seat on the |
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Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's highest criminal |
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court; he subsequently became the first elected presiding judge of |
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the court, after that position was made an elective office through |
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passage of a constitutional amendment, and he would go on to serve |
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in that capacity for 18 years; during his tenure, he authored around |
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1,500 signed and published majority opinions; following his |
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retirement, he continued to share his legal expertise for many |
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years as a visiting judge in trial and appellate courts; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Judge Onion enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Nancy Lee Vogelsang Onion, his longtime |
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partner in public service and family life; the couple were the |
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devoted parents of three children, John, David, and Carol, and they |
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were further blessed with six grandchildren, Kate, Frances, John, |
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Scott, Paige, and Case; admired for his warmth, geniality, and good |
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humor, as well as his great wisdom, Judge Onion always had a joke or |
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anecdote ready to put a matter into perspective; and |
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WHEREAS, A towering figure in the history of Texas criminal |
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law jurisprudence, Judge Onion had a love of the law and a |
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determination to reach the right answer in every case, and his |
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legacy will live on in his many contributions to his profession and |
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in the cherished memories of his loved ones, friends, and |
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colleagues; 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 life of the Honorable John F. |
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Onion Jr. and extend deepest condolences to his relatives and |
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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 Judge John |
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F. Onion Jr. |