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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life dedicated to the pursuit of social justice |
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and human rights drew to a close with the passing of Daniel Chris |
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Graney of San Antonio on July 11, 2024, at the age of 75; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on May 16, 1949, in Norfolk, Nebraska, Dan |
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Graney spent part of his youth in foster care before being adopted |
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by a Lutheran minister and his wife at age 18; after graduating from |
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St. John's College in Winfield, Kansas, he received his |
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undergraduate degree from Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, |
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Indiana, and his master of divinity degree from Christ |
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Seminary-Seminex; ordained as a Lutheran minister, he began his |
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clerical career serving San Francisco's Mission District Hispanic |
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community; and |
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WHEREAS, While undertaking his ministerial studies, |
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Mr. Graney met his first love, a Franciscan priest named Roberto |
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Flores; in 1977, the pair moved to Houston, where Mr. Graney served |
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as a minister and paralegal for undocumented immigrants; he was |
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elected as a bishop of the Texas Province of the Southwest Regional |
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Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, but he was forced to resign |
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after church officials learned about his relationship; pivoting to |
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a career in law, he graduated as valedictorian of his class at Texas |
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Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 1987, and |
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he went on to relocate his practice, which primarily focused on |
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immigration law, to San Antonio in 1992; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Graney and Mr. Flores shared 35 years together |
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before they were able to legally marry in Vermont on October 15, |
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2009; after Mr. Flores passed away, Mr. Graney was fortunate enough |
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to find love again, and on June 9, 2017, he wed Rolando Jaimes |
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Mesco, who served as his devoted caregiver throughout his medical |
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challenges; and |
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WHEREAS, Despite retiring from his work as an attorney due to |
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health issues in 1993, Mr. Graney continued to make an impact |
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through his involvement with San Antonio's LGBT community; he |
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served as cofounder of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio, as |
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chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party, and as president of the |
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Stonewall Democratic Caucus for the 2008 Texas Democratic Party |
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Convention; additionally, as co-chair of the Community Alliance for |
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a United San Antonio, he helped secure the historic passage of a |
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citywide nondiscrimination ordinance in 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, Dan Graney touched countless lives through his |
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selfless service and his unwavering commitment to the rights of the |
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marginalized, and he leaves behind a legacy that will long be |
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remembered; 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 memory of Daniel Chris Graney |
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and extend deepest condolences to all those who mourn his passing; |
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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 Dan Graney. |