H.R. No. 1603
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Former Kenedy County Sheriff Rafael Cuellar, Jr.,
has dedicated a third of a century to protecting the safety and
welfare of his fellow citizens as a law enforcement officer; and
WHEREAS, A native of Sarita, Mr. Cuellar comes from a
distinguished family whose members have played an important role in
the history of Kenedy County since the early 1900s; three
generations of Cuellars, including Mr. Cuellar, his father, and his
grandfather, have been employed by the Kenedy Ranch; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cuellar's family also has a proud tradition of
serving the county as peace officers; Rafael Cuellar, Sr., served
as a county constable, and after his death in 1982, his daughter,
Lupita Cuellar, served as a constable; carrying on the family
tradition, Sheriff Cuellar's son, Rafael Cuellar III, has also been
a county constable; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cuellar, Jr., likewise began his law enforcement
career as a Kenedy County constable, a position he held for 16
years; he then served as deputy county sheriff for eight years; and
WHEREAS, In 1992, Mr. Cuellar was elected to the post of
Kenedy County Sheriff, the first Hispanic sheriff in the county's
history; he served eight years with great distinction until his
retirement in 2000, earning recognition from the county and his
peers; he also served as president of the Coastal Bend Peace
Officers Association; and
WHEREAS, Sheriff Cuellar's dedication, professionalism, and
commitment to excellence have greatly benefited the people of
Kenedy County, and he may indeed take great pride in his rich family
heritage and his lifetime of service to others; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor former Kenedy County Sheriff Rafael
Cuellar, Jr., for his long record of achievement and contributions
to his community and extend to him sincere best wishes for the
future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Sheriff Cuellar as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Rios Ybarra
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1603 was adopted by the House on May
4, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House