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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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commemorates the life of Fortunato "Pete" Benavides, who died on |
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May 5, 2023, at the age of 76; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on February 3, 1947, in Mission, Pete |
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Benavides was raised in McAllen and traced his roots back to |
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Spanish statesmen who settled prominent cities in Nuevo León and |
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Tamaulipas; renowned for his athleticism and exceptional memory, |
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Pete graduated from McAllen Senior High School in 1965 and went |
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on to earn his business degree from the University of Houston and |
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his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1972; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Shortly after beginning his career as a litigator |
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in McAllen, Pete secured a judicial appointment and served as |
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Hidalgo County Court judge for two years; he returned to private |
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practice until his election as Hidalgo County 92nd District Court |
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judge in 1981, a position he held until 1984, when Texas Governor |
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Mark White appointed him as a justice on the Thirteenth Court of |
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Appeals, a position he held for seven years; and |
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WHEREAS, Determined to do more for his community, Judge |
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Benavides, through his membership on the Texas Juvenile |
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Probation Commission, established the Ramiro H. Guerra Youth |
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Village, a residential facility in Weslaco for male juvenile |
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offenders; his spirit of generosity captured the attention of |
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such leaders as Bill Clinton, who praised Judge Benavides for his |
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outstanding work with the center for troubled youth; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Benavides was appointed by Governor Ann |
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Richards to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1991 and by |
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Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court Tom Phillips to serve |
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numerous state courts by special appointment; in between |
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appointments, Judge Benavides resumed private practice as a |
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partner at the McAllen law firm Atlas and Hall; and |
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WHEREAS, President Clinton appointed Judge Benavides to |
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serve as a justice on the United States Fifth Circuit Court of |
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Appeals in 1994; he served the court with distinction as an |
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active judge for 18 years and completed numerous terms as a |
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member of the Judicial Council of the Fifth Circuit; he assumed |
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senior status in the Fifth Circuit in 2012; and |
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WHEREAS, Highly esteemed by his colleagues and |
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contemporaries for his humility and compassion, Judge Benavides |
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authored more than 2,000 opinions in his 25 years on the Fifth |
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Circuit, and his honest counsel brought wisdom and enlightenment |
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to his fellow justices; and many friends who regard his life as a |
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gold standard to which future generations of Texans may aspire; |
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he was preceded in death by his infant son Ramon, and leaves |
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behind precious memories that will be forever treasured by his |
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beloved wife, Evelyn, his daughters, Amanda and Adelaide, and his |
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grandsons, Milo and Carter; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Pete Benavides; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Pete Benavides. |