H.R. No. 1887
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The late Ramiro Barrera, Sr., played a vital role as
an educator and community leader in Starr County for many decades,
and his life and legacy are indeed worthy of tribute; and
WHEREAS, Ramiro Barrera was born in Los Saenz in 1920 to
Trinidad and Benilde Barrera, both of whom were descended from
founding families of the historic border village; his father was a
rancher and his mother ran a small neighborhood store, and together
they instilled a strong work ethic in their children, who were all
expected to pitch in to help operate the family businesses; by the
time he was six, Ramiro would rise early in the morning and trek
several miles to carry breakfast to the herdsman watching over his
father's goats; he would then return home with milk for his family;
it was on these daily journeys that he began to develop his
appreciation for the native flora and fauna of the Texas-Mexico
border region; and
WHEREAS, An avid student, Mr. Barrera attended Los Saenz
Elementary for four years, after which he went to Roma Elementary;
he then progressed to Roma High School, where he was taught by the
Sisters of Mercy, who imparted to him a love for literature and
learning and helped him to develop discipline through their firm
but kind methods; because Roma High School only offered instruction
through the 11th grade, he continued his education at Rio Grande
High School in Rio Grande City, graduating with honors in 1937; and
WHEREAS, Determined to pursue his dream of obtaining a
college education, even though the country was still mired in the
Great Depression and money was scarce, Mr. Barrera enrolled at the
Texas College of Arts and Industries in Kingsville; to help pay for
tuition, he began teaching elementary school in Garceno, and he
went on to teach at schools in Fronton and Chapeno; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera's studies were interrupted by the
outbreak of World War II; answering his nation's call to duty, he
joined the U.S. Army in 1941; during his four years in the military
he served in England, Scotland, France, and on special assignment
in Portugal; and
WHEREAS, After his discharge from the army in 1945,
Mr. Barrera returned to Kingsville to complete his degree with the
financial assistance of the GI Bill; during this time he met his
wife, the former Crescencia Izaguirre, and the couple were joined
in matrimony in May 1950; and
WHEREAS, In 1948, Mr. Barrera returned to Los Saenz
Elementary to serve as head teacher; he worked at the school for two
and a half years before accepting an offer to teach social studies
at San Isidro High School; during the summers he continued to pursue
his education at Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos, where
he earned a master's degree in education in 1954; he began his
career in education administration that same year, when he joined
the Roma Independent School District as a junior high principal;
the next year he became the principal of Roma High School, a
position he held for 22 years; during his tenure there, he helped
guide the school through a time of steady growth and success; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera retired as principal of Roma High School
in 1978, at the age of 58; he then joined the Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory as a part-time consultant and researcher,
working with several schools in Starr County; after four years with
SEDL, he retired from education for good in order to spend time with
his wife and family and to focus on his ranches in Starr and Zapata
Counties; he remained in touch with former colleagues through his
involvement with the Roma Retired Teachers Association; and
WHEREAS, A respected member of his community, Mr. Barrera was
active in Our Lady of Refuge Church in Roma, and he volunteered his
time with a number of organizations devoted to helping others;
moreover, he was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the
Knights of Columbus, holding third-degree Knight status with the
Roma chapter and fourth-degree Knight status with the Rio Grande
City chapter; he also worked with the Starr County Historical
Society to preserve the history of the area, and he provided
valuable assistance with researching the early days of Roma and Los
Saenz and the communities' founding families; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera further dedicated himself to preserving
the environment and natural resources of the area; his efforts were
recognized by the Rio Bravo Resource Conservation District, which
honored him with its Distinguished Service Award for 17 years of
service, and by the Starr County Soil and Water Conservation
District, which presented him with an award for 22 years of service;
and
WHEREAS, During his nearly 40 years in the field of
education, Mr. Barrera had a significant impact on the lives of
countless young people, and he had the great pleasure of seeing many
of his students grow up to enjoy successful and productive lives; on
March 29, 2007, the Roma Independent School District named its
newest campus the Ramiro Barrera Middle School, in honor of his
exceptional service as a teacher and an administrator; and
WHEREAS, Although Ramiro Barrera, Sr., passed away in 2004,
his memory lives on in his children, Annabel Pena and Dr. Ramiro
Barrera, Jr., and in his five grandchildren, Daniel Barrera, Angela
Barrera, Aaron Pena, Adrian Pena, and Ariel Pena; they inherited
from him the same dedication to education, conservation, and
community service that made him a role model to many of his former
students and colleagues; and
WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family and community, Ramiro
Barrera, Sr., made a meaningful difference in the lives of his loved
ones and fellow citizens alike, and his contributions will be
fondly remembered for years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby honor the memory of Ramiro Barrera, Sr., for his
extensive public service; 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 Ramiro
Barrera, Sr.
Guillen
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1887 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 19, 2011.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House