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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 609
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In Memory |
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of |
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Viola Barrios |
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WHEREAS, April 2019 marks the 11th anniversary of the death |
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of San Antonio restaurateur Viola Barrios, and this occasion |
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provides a fitting opportunity to reflect on the life and |
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accomplishments of this beloved woman; and |
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WHEREAS, Viola Barrios was born in Bustamante, Nuevo León, |
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Mexico, to Alfredo and Evangelina Botello, and she grew up with |
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the companionship of four sisters, Connie, Mary, Gloria, and |
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Irma; after moving to the United States in her early 20s, she |
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settled in San Antonio and married the love of her life, Jose |
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C. Barrios; the couple shared a rewarding marriage that spanned |
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almost two decades before Mr. Barrios was killed in an automobile |
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accident in 1975; Ms. Barrios suddenly found herself a single |
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parent of three children; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1979, with only $3,000 and a passion for |
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cooking, Ms. Barrios opened the original Los Barrios Restaurant |
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in an old boat garage downtown; for nearly 30 years, she worked |
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seven days a week cooking, cleaning, prepping food, bussing |
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tables, and doing any other job necessary to help the business |
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survive and grow; through her hard work, Los Barrios prospered, |
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expanding to a second location and earning national acclaim by |
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being featured in numerous publications and television |
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programs; and |
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WHEREAS, A San Antonio legend, Ms. Barrios was renowned for |
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her generosity; she lent a helping hand to those in need and |
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returned to Mexico annually to assist the residents of her |
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hometown; following her death, the tradition of selfless service |
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that she began has been carried on by her three children, Teresa |
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Barrios-Ogden, Louis Barrios, and Diana Barrios Treviño, and by |
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her many grandchildren; in 2008, they started the Viola's Huge |
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Heart Foundation to provide scholarships to low-income students; |
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the family has also sponsored dozens of fund-raisers for various |
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nonprofit groups and further honored their matriarch by opening |
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additional businesses, including the Viola's Ventanas restaurant |
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that bears her name; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Viola Barrios set an |
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inspiring example of perseverance, professional achievement, and |
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concern for others, and her memory will long be cherished by |
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residents of the San Antonio area; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the legacy of Viola Barrios |
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and honor her many contributions to her community; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for her family as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas Senate. |
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Menéndez, Campbell, |
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Flores, Zaffirini |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on April 24, 2019, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |