82R5458 BPG-D
By: Rodriguez H.R. No. 149
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The death of Austin restaurateur Joe Limon Avila on
January 9, 2011, at the age of 81, has brought a great loss to his
loved ones and many admirers throughout the community; and
WHEREAS, Born in Austin on April 14, 1929, Mr. Avila learned
the restaurant business early on when he began delivering bread at
the age of six for his parents, Sophia and Florentino De La'O; they
had started a bakery out of their house during the Great Depression,
and Mr. Avila quit school after seventh grade to work full-time in
the family business; coming of age during the Korean War, he proudly
served his country in the United States Army and earned the Purple
Heart and other decorations; and
WHEREAS, From childhood, Mr. Avila cherished the dream of
owning a restaurant; through hard work and perseverance, he was
able to open the Sun Bakery on East Seventh Street with his mother
and stepfather in 1964, and by the following year, he had purchased
the business from them and named it Joe's Bakery & Coffee Shop; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Avila and his wife, the former Pauline Robles,
added Mexican food to the cafe's menu, and they worked tirelessly to
make Joe's Bakery a success; for years, Mr. Avila began baking in
the mornings and then ran the kitchen, spending most of his waking
hours at the restaurant; after his retirement, he continued to
frequent the popular eatery, greeting customers who ranged from
neighborhood regulars to politicians, musicians, and other
well-known people; always warm and smiling, Mr. Avila treated
everyone who walked through the door like family, and his
establishment became a center of social and civic life in the
community; his mischievous sense of humor was always on display,
and he enjoyed sharing stories about days gone by with diners and
employees alike; and
WHEREAS, This beloved icon remained humble through the years
and demonstrated an enduring commitment to East Austin and its
residents; he was a mentor and role model to the young people he
employed, and he frequently donated catering services for events at
Zavala Elementary School and the Pan American Recreation Center; on
Cinco de Mayo in 1993, he was honored by community groups with an
Unsung Hero Award; and
WHEREAS, A devoted family man sustained by a deep faith, Mr.
Avila instilled his strong values in his two daughters, Rose Ann and
Carolina, and he brought them into the restaurant business along
with other relatives; and
WHEREAS, Joe Avila blurred the lines between work and
pleasure, serving as a goodwill ambassador for his business as well
as for the community he was proud to call home; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Joe Limon Avila and
extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife
of 56 years, Pauline Avila; to his daughters, Rose Ann Maciel and
her husband, Robert, and Carolina Avila; to his grandchildren,
Regina Estrada and her husband, Felipe, and Robert Maciel, Jr.; to
his great-grandchildren, Izabella and Evalina Sophia Estrada; to
his sisters, Josephine Cavazos and Hilda Lovern; and to a host of
other relatives and friends; 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 Joe Avila.