H.R. No. 1970

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Over the course of their lives, Lauro and Maria Celia Lopez shared an enduring love story, and their family is celebrating the couple's legacy of commitment; and

WHEREAS, A native of Rio Grande City, Lauro L. Lopez was born on May 20, 1924, to Otila Zarate and Ernesto Lopez; after graduating from Rio Grande City High School, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1943; he was deployed to Shrivenham, England, where he was stationed at the headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and he went on to serve as a medical clerk-typist at a field hospital in Europe; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Lopez was honorably discharged in 1946, and after returning home, he studied geology at The University of Texas at Austin; for a time, he worked in the garment district in New York while pursuing a career in photography; in 1948, he moved back to Rio Grande City, where he sold cars, worked on the Falcon Dam project, and found employment at LFD Furniture Store; and

WHEREAS, Maria Celia Lopez was born in Rio Grande City on November 6, 1928, to Mateo and Hortencia Saenz; she graduated from Rio Grande City High School in 1945, and she subsequently earned her license to become a hairdresser, her lifelong passion; she went on to open the Co-ed Beauty Shop, which she ran for 22 years; and

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Lopez shared a remarkable 67 years of marriage; their family grew to include five children, Daniel, Diana, Dalinda, Delia, and David Lauro Lopez, who preceded his parents in death, as well as a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; partners in life as well as in business, the couple owned and operated Triple L Furniture & Appliance, which Mr. Lopez opened in 1970, with Mrs. Lopez serving as the store's office manager; after 35 years, they closed the store and retired in 2005; and

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Lopez were actively involved in a number of organizations; Mr. Lopez served as president of the Rio Grande City Chamber of Commerce and vice president of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, and he helped lead the successful effort to reincorporate Rio Grande City in 1993; he held other prominent positions in the community as mayor pro tempore, city alderman, and chair of the South Texas Economic Development Corporation, and in 1999, he was appointed by then-Governor George W. Bush to the South Texas Development Council, where he chaired the board of directors; a charter member of his local Rotary Club, he was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow award in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Both husband and wife were parishioners of Immaculate Conception Church and active members of the Order of the Alhambra, El Cid Caravan No. 106, which Mr. Lopez led as grand commander; Mr. Lopez was a fourth degree Knight of Columbus, while Mrs. Lopez was involved in her children's education as a PTA member of the Immaculate Conception School, and she also participated in the Sewing Club and other organizations; they enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and the world and socializing with their many friends; Mr. Lopez passed away on June 25, 2016, at the age of 92, and Mrs. Lopez passed away on March 19, 2018, at the age of 89; and

WHEREAS, Through their commitment to their family, their faith, and their community, Lauro and Maria Celia Lopez touched the lives of countless people during their time on this earth, and they will forever be remembered with admiration by all those who held them dear; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Lauro and Maria Celia Lopez; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for their family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Lauro and Maria Celia Lopez.

Guillen

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 1970 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 31, 2021.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House