SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 33
In Memory
of
Angela Gerusa Leal
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and
commemorates the life of longtime educator Angela Gerusa Leal,
who died June 6, 2011, at the age of 88; and
WHEREAS, Angela was born on January 5, 1923, to Judge Joe
E. and Rosa Weaver Gerusa; her father, a successful farmer and
justice of the peace in Los Indios, provided generously for his
family, and her young life was good; and
WHEREAS, Things changed dramatically when Angela was 10
years old and her mother was diagnosed with a serious illness;
her father made the difficult decision to put his four daughters
in a private school, the Methodist School for Girls in Pharr; it
was a traumatic experience for the young girl, who had always
been surrounded by her loving family, but it helped her develop
the self-confidence and determination that stayed with her all of
her life; and
WHEREAS, After her mother recovered, Angela returned to
Los Indios; she briefly attended San Benito High School and
graduated from Weslaco High School, where she and her sister were
the first Mexican American members of the Weslaco Marching Band;
and
WHEREAS, She was married to Edio Leal in 1942 shortly
before he went off to serve in the military during World War II;
while he was away, Angela attended Texas Southmost College in
Brownsville and majored in education; because of the shortage of
teachers during the war, she was asked to teach in a one-room
schoolhouse and, at the age of 19, she began her teaching career
with students ranging in age from six to 19; and
WHEREAS, After her husband's return from the war, the
couple built a home, and they had three children; Angela
continued to teach and to pursue her education; after more than a
decade of teaching in the one-room schoolhouse, she was offered
the job as principal of Los Indios Elementary School and became
the first Mexican American woman principal in the San Benito
public schools; she received her bachelor's degree in education
from Pan American University and her master's degree from Texas
A&I University in Kingsville, and she retired in 1986 after
having dedicated 43 years of her life to the field of education;
and
WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Angela Leal had times of
prosperity and periods of adversity, but she always persevered;
she devoted years of service to the San Benito School District
because of her desire to see San Benito's children succeed at
every level in life, and she served as an exemplary role model to
generations of students in whom she nurtured a sense of
confidence, self-reliance, and determination and a lifelong love
of learning; and
WHEREAS, In January of this year, the board of trustees of
the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District voted to
name its new elementary school on Farm to Market Road 732 the
Angela G. Leal Elementary School in her honor; and
WHEREAS, Angela Leal was devoted to her family, and she was
deeply admired throughout the community; she leaves behind
memories that will be cherished forever by all those whose lives
she touched; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life
of Angela G. Leal and extend sincere condolences to her bereaved
family; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
Angela G. Leal.
Lucio
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on June 14, 2011, by a
rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate