HR94 - In memory of Jose Maria Longoria Sr. of Starr County.

      H.R. No. 94       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever carry with them the   memory of Jose Maria Longoria Sr., a prominent Starr County   educator and public servant, who passed away on May 2, 1980, at the   age of 73; and          WHEREAS, Born on June 20, 1906, and raised in La Grulla, Jose   Longoria was the son of Tristan and Guadalupe C. Longoria, who   instilled in him the importance of education from an early age; he   went on to be named the salutatorian at San Diego High School in   1925, and he subsequently graduated with honors from Texas A&I   University in 1933; he and both of his siblings, Guadalupe and   Roberto, attended college at a time when few minorities were   enrolled; and          WHEREAS, During World War II, Mr. Longoria enlisted in the   U.S. armed forces and became an army instructor in 1944; he had   previously taught Spanish at Texas A&I University, and upon   returning from military service, he resumed his career as an   educator in the San Isidro and Brownsville school districts; after   working as an editor for the Starr County Democrat for two years, he   took over as owner and manager of Valley Distributing Company,   operating the business from 1938 to 1974; along the way, he obtained   his law degree from La Salle Extension University; and          WHEREAS, A fiscal conservative, Mr. Longoria served as a   county commissioner from 1949 to 1972; he also filled in as an   interim county judge and volunteered as a trustee for the La Grulla   and Rio Grande City school districts; although the 1950s were an   economically challenging decade for Starr County, Mr. Longoria's   efforts helped to fund two new elementary schools; and          WHEREAS, Mr. Longoria was a charter member of LULAC as well   as a member of the International Platform Association and the   National Historical Society; he was the recipient of the Alpha Chi   Award Plaque, and he was posthumously honored with a Presidential   Memorial Certificate for his military service; and          WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Longoria was blessed with   the love and support of his wife, Maria Saenz, and their six   children, Jose, Thelma, Isaac, Arturo, Romeo, and Roberto; in his   leisure hours, he found enjoyment in his favorite pastime, playing   the violin; and          WHEREAS, The life of Jose Longoria was an inspiring example   of the good that one person can accomplish, and he will forever hold   a special place in the hearts of those he left behind; now,   therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and legacy of Jose Maria   Longoria Sr. and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; and,   be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of   Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jose Maria   Longoria Sr.     Guillen     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 94 was unanimously adopted by a rising   vote of the House on March 13, 2025.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House