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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their |
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memories of Leonel R. Garza of Freer, who died on July 16, 2022, at |
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the age of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on July 4, 1940, to Lazaro and Olivia Garza, |
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Leonel Garza grew up with 12 siblings, Maria, Ofelia, Carmen, |
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Lupita, Hane, Rosa, Liz, Gloria, Mandy, Eloy, Larry, and Gilbert; |
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in his youth, he did migrant work in Texas and the Midwest, and he |
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was a star athlete at Benavides High School, where he graduated in |
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1959; answering his nation's call to duty, he enlisted in the |
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U.S. Marine Corps and served until his honorable discharge in 1968 |
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at the rank of corporal; he married the former Elda Garcia in 1961, |
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and they became the proud parents of five daughters, Leticia, Nori, |
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Noelia, Elsa, and Imelda; later in life, he was blessed with 12 |
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grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Mr. Garza and his family settled in |
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Freer, where he became the manager of the Center Circle Texaco |
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station and went on to found the Muy Grande store; in 1976, he began |
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a career selling ranches and serving as a ranch consultant that |
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spanned half a century; he was also active as a member of the school |
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board, the sportsman's club, the chamber of commerce, and the Lions |
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Club, as well as the Duval County Groundwater Conservation |
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District; and |
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WHEREAS, A celebrated outdoorsman, Mr. Garza founded the Muy |
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Grande Deer Contest in 1965, one of the largest such contests in the |
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world; he wrote and created many books and videos about the |
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competition, and he designed the Muy Grande camouflage pattern; as |
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a hunter, he personally collected more than 20,000 heads of |
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whitetail deer; his many honors include awards from the City of |
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Freer and the Texas Senate and House of Representatives, as well as |
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the Gene Riser Award from the Texas Deer Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Leonel Garza lived a rich and purposeful life, 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 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Leonel R. Garza and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family and to his |
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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 Leonel |
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Garza. |