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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of San Marcos lost an admired |
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restauranteur and civic leader with the passing of Rafael |
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Gonzales Jr. on January 25, 2025, at the age of 90; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Rafael Gonzales Sr. and Virginia Lopez |
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Gonzales, Ralph Gonzales was born in Martindale on October 30, |
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1934; he dropped out of school in the seventh grade to help support |
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his family; on February 17, 1956, he married the former Mary |
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Juarez; they became the parents of four children, Jerry, Peggy, |
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Debbie, and Virginia Jeannie, and the family later grew to include |
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seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; after the couple |
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found success selling sausage links out of their home, Mr. Gonzales |
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opened a small restaurant, Pic-A-Taco, that later grew into a |
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two-story establishment; a longtime San Marcos favorite, the |
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business ultimately developed a national reputation, and |
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Mr. Gonzales was invited to cook for President Jimmy Carter in the |
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nation's capital in 1980; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzales was renowned for his compassion; |
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during local floods in the 1970s, he provided free food to victims |
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and recovery workers, and following a major earthquake in |
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Guatemala, he organized volunteers to deliver five truckloads of |
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food and supplies to the country; he also came to the rescue of the |
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Southside Community Center when it lost key funding; from 1980 to |
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1990, he served as a Hays County commissioner, and over the years, |
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he gave generously of his time, talent, and resources to many |
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organizations, among them the Senior Citizens' Center, the Scheib |
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Opportunity Center, the Hays County Women's Center, and the |
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American GI Forum; in 1996, he founded a nonprofit, Nosotros la |
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Gente, which continues to provide footwear to children in need; |
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Mr. Gonzales was the recipient of numerous accolades, including the |
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1976 Citizen of the Year award from the Hays County Citizen; and |
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WHEREAS, Devoted to his family and his community, Ralph |
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Gonzales made a meaningful difference in the lives of his loved ones |
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and fellow citizens alike, and his contributions will be remembered |
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for years to come; now, 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 of Rafael Gonzales Jr. |
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and extend sincere sympathy 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 Ralph |
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Gonzales. |