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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever carry with them the |
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memory of Jose Maria Longoria Sr., a prominent Starr County |
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educator and public servant, who passed away on May 2, 1980, at the |
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age of 73; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on June 20, 1906, and raised in La Grulla, Jose |
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Longoria was the son of Tristan and Guadalupe C. Longoria, who |
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instilled in him the importance of education from an early age; he |
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went on to be named the salutatorian at San Diego High School in |
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1925, and he subsequently graduated with honors from Texas A&I |
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University in 1933; he and both of his siblings, Guadalupe and |
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Roberto, attended college at a time when few minorities were |
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enrolled; and |
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WHEREAS, During World War II, Mr. Longoria enlisted in the |
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U.S. armed forces and became an army instructor in 1944; he had |
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previously taught Spanish at Texas A&I University, and upon |
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returning from military service, he resumed his career as an |
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educator in the San Isidro and Brownsville school districts; after |
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working as an editor for the Starr County Democrat for two years, he |
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took over as owner and manager of Valley Distributing Company, |
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operating the business from 1938 to 1974; along the way, he obtained |
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his law degree from La Salle Extension University; and |
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WHEREAS, A fiscal conservative, Mr. Longoria served as a |
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county commissioner from 1949 to 1972; he also filled in as an |
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interim county judge and volunteered as a trustee for the La Grulla |
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and Rio Grande City school districts; although the 1950s were an |
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economically challenging decade for Starr County, Mr. Longoria's |
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efforts helped to fund two new elementary schools; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Longoria was a charter member of LULAC as well |
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as a member of the International Platform Association and the |
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National Historical Society; he was the recipient of the Alpha Chi |
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Award Plaque, and he was posthumously honored with a Presidential |
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Memorial Certificate for his military service; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Longoria was blessed with |
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the love and support of his wife, Maria Saenz, and their six |
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children, Jose, Thelma, Isaac, Arturo, Romeo, and Roberto; in his |
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leisure hours, he found enjoyment in his favorite pastime, playing |
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the violin; and |
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WHEREAS, The life of Jose Longoria was an inspiring example |
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of the good that one person can accomplish, and he will forever hold |
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a special place in the hearts of those he left behind; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and legacy of Jose Maria |
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Longoria Sr. and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; and, |
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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 Jose Maria |
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Longoria Sr. |