83S20494 BK-D
By: Gutierrez H.R. No. 100
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Petra Margarita Gonzales of Bexar County is marking
a special milestone in her life with the observance of her 90th
birthday on July 23, 2013; and
WHEREAS, Born in 1923, the former Petra Herrera was raised in
San Antonio by her parents, Fidencio Herrera and Maxima Ramos, and
has resided in Bexar County throughout her lifetime; she spent her
formative years in San Antonio schools and is a graduate of Lanier
High; and
WHEREAS, She exchanged wedding vows with Frank Y. Gonzales,
and together they became the parents of five children; now
a widow, she is the proud, doting matriarch of a family that
includes 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a
great-great-grandchild; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Gonzales was deeply involved in her children's
school activities, serving as the first Hispanic president of the
St. Michael's Academy parent-teacher group, as a Girl Scout leader,
and as the first Hispanic catechist and coordinator at
St. Cecilia's Catholic School; during the 1990s, she continued her
civic participation in Cellular on Patrol Southeast, representing
the Riverside Neighborhood Association, and she received a plaque
recognizing her dedication to the important goal of public safety;
and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Gonzales recalls a time in the 1950s when a
poll tax was required to cast votes, a practice that barred many
poorer citizens from exercising their civic right; the eventual
prohibition of poll taxes in 1964 increased her interest in the
voting process and her drive to ensure its fairness; she was one of
the first Hispanics to serve as an election clerk and an election
judge in the 1960s, and she volunteered her time in behalf of Bexar
County elections until 2001; this civic-minded Texan also worked in
support of various Democratic candidates into her eighties, and she
continues to be an advocate for voting at the local and national
levels; and
WHEREAS, An esteemed woman who is a source of inspiration to
all who know her, Petra Gonzales has devoted herself wholeheartedly
to her loved ones, her community, and her country, and it is a
distinct pleasure to honor her on nine decades of a life well lived;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby congratulate Petra
Margarita Gonzales on her 90th birthday and extend to her warmest
wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mrs. Gonzales as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.