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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 648
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In Memory |
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of |
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Yolanda Torres |
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WHEREAS, The life of a beloved educator drew to a close |
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with the passing of Yolanda P. Torres of San Antonio on |
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February 24, 2025, at the age of 88; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Rolando and Bertha Parga, the |
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former Yolanda Parga was born in San Antonio on June 13, 1936; |
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her parents were talented musicians, and she grew up with |
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three siblings, Irma, Roland, and Sylvia, in a household that |
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shaped her love for the arts; she studied the accordion with a |
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classical teacher, and she also played the piano, ukulele, |
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and French horn, the latter as a member of the Thomas |
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Jefferson High School marching band; the first in her family |
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to graduate from college, she earned an English degree at the |
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University of the Incarnate Word and a master's degree in |
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psychology at St. Mary's University; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Torres began her teaching career with the |
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Edgewood Independent School District in 1957; during her |
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years in education, she taught English with a focus on |
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classical literature, and she served as a journalism |
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instructor and school newspaper sponsor at Fox Tech High |
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School in San Antonio, as the yearbook sponsor at Jefferson |
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Davis High School in Houston, and as the literary club sponsor |
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at Thomas Edison High School in San Antonio; in 1976, Ms. |
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Torres became the first Mexican American woman to be elected |
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to the Texas State Board of Education; she was teaching at |
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Edison when she retired in 2000; among her numerous accolades, |
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she received a Making a Mark on the World Award from the San |
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Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and she was inducted |
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into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Torres took great pride in her four |
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children, Denise, Peter, Tina, and Paul, and her |
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grandchildren; she always saw the best in others, and she was |
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a talented poet, oil painter, singer, and pianist who served |
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as choir director for La Trinidad United Methodist Church for |
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many years; and |
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WHEREAS, Admired for her myriad accomplishments and her |
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remarkable ability to connect with students, Yolanda Torres |
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brightened the world for all who knew her, and they will |
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forever hold her close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th |
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Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Yolanda P. |
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Torres and extend deepest condolences to the members of her |
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family: to her children, Denise, Peter, Tina, and Paul and |
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his wife, Alisa; to her grandchildren, Tahnee, Peter Michael, |
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and Savannah and her husband, Curtis; to her sister, Sylvia; |
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to her sisters-in-law, Dolores and Sandy; and to her many |
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other relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas Senate |
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adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Yolanda Torres. |
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Menéndez |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 31, 2025, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |