H.R. No. 1319
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The death of acclaimed restaurateur Viola B. Barrios
on April 23, 2008, at the age of 76, deeply saddened residents of
San Antonio; and
WHEREAS, The daughter of Alfredo and Evangelina Botello, the
former Viola Botello was born in Bustamante in the Mexican state of
Nuevo Leon and moved to San Antonio as a young girl; she married
Jose Barrios, and the couple later became the parents of two
daughters and a son; after the untimely death of her husband, the
young widow became an entrepreneur and made many sacrifices to
provide for her children; and
WHEREAS, In 1979, Mrs. Barrios scraped together $3,000 to
open a restaurant near downtown; she began serving home-style
Mexican food, working seven days a week until late into the night;
with her radiant smile and warm manner, she made each patron feel
welcome, and Los Barrios became an enormous success; it soon moved
to another location and expanded several times to eventually occupy
more than 7,000 square feet; the Barrios family opened a second
location, La Hacienda de Los Barrios, in 2004, and the
multimillion-dollar enterprise grew to employ more than 200 people;
and
WHEREAS, In the early 1980s, Esquire magazine named Los
Barrios one of the 100 best new restaurants in America, and the
establishment went on to win numerous accolades; it was listed
multiple times by Hispanic Magazine as one of the top 50 Hispanic
restaurants in the country and received raves from Southern Living
and Texas Highways; Mrs. Barrios appeared on numerous television
shows, including Good Morning America, The Today Show, and
Throwdown with Bobby Flay; always ready to share her skill and
knowledge, she taught cooking classes and shared her recipes in the
popular cookbook that her daughter, Diana Barrios Trevino,
published in 2002; and
WHEREAS, Deeply committed to helping others, Mrs. Barrios was
a tireless benefactor to the people of her hometown; she purchased
toys and school supplies for area children, flannel sheets for the
members of a religious order, mattresses for residents lacking
beds, and myriad items for those in need; moreover, she provided
funds for repairs to damaged roofs and renovations to a chapel, and
whenever she visited the second house she kept there, she cooked and
delivered large quantities of food for her neighbors; a niece
coordinated her charitable work in Bustamante, and Mrs. Barrios
showed her gratitude by building her a house; and
WHEREAS, Charming and remarkably industrious, Mrs. Barrios
was adored by her customers and enjoyed the high regard of her
community and of the restaurant industry; her myriad honors
included membership in the Texas Restaurant Association Hall of
Honor, a special award from the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, the prestigious Robert H. H. Hugman Award from the San
Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, and a Spirit Award from the
National Association of Women Business Owners; and
WHEREAS, Although Viola B. Barrios is profoundly missed, her
family continues the proud business tradition she established, and
memories of this kind, generous, and dynamic woman will forever be
treasured by those fortunate enough to have known her; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Viola B. Barrios and
extend sincere condolences to the members of her family: to her
daughters, Dr. Teresa Barrios Ogden and her husband, James, and
Diana Barrios Trevino and her husband, Roland; to her son, Luis
Barrios, and his wife, Traci; to her grandchildren, Analie and
Liliana Ogden, Jordan, Evan, and Diego Trevino, and Lindsay,
Hailey, and Ian Barrios, and to her many other relatives and
friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Viola
Barrios.
Martinez Fischer
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1319 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 23, 2009.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House