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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Countless lives were touched by the kindness and |
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| 6 | 7 | | generosity of Elizabeth Mendoza of San Antonio, who passed away on |
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| 7 | 8 | | December 16, 2014, at the age of 52; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The daughter of Roger and Ora Roel, the former |
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| 9 | 10 | | Elizabeth Roel was born in San Antonio on May 16, 1962; she |
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| 10 | 11 | | graduated from Highlands High School in 1980, and on February 14 of |
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| 11 | 12 | | the following year, she exchanged wedding vows with Raul Mendoza; |
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| 12 | 13 | | the couple shared a rewarding marriage of nearly 35 years and became |
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| 13 | 14 | | the parents of three children, Jason, Matthew, and Timothy; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Mendoza worked in her parents' restaurant and |
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| 15 | 16 | | ran her own small business before opening Highlands Cafe, which she |
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| 16 | 17 | | operated alongside her brother, Ray; the diner drew many loyal |
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| 17 | 18 | | customers from the community, and Ms. Mendoza and her sons |
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| 18 | 19 | | developed a warm rapport with their neighbors while delivering care |
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| 19 | 20 | | packages of food; eventually, she left the cafe and joined the staff |
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| 20 | 21 | | of the Bonham Elementary School cafeteria; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, This cherished woman was a member of the Gold Star |
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| 22 | 23 | | Mother's Association and the VFW Post No. 76 Marine Corps |
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| 23 | 24 | | Committee; in 2008, after the tragic loss of one of her sons, USMC |
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| 24 | 25 | | Sergeant Matthew Elias Mendoza, in Afghanistan, she reached out to |
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| 25 | 26 | | help other marines and their families by volunteering with the |
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| 26 | 27 | | Wounded Warrior Project at the San Antonio Military Medical Center; |
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| 27 | 28 | | during the hours she spent there, she offered compassion and |
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| 28 | 29 | | comfort to service members in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine |
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| 29 | 30 | | Regiment, 1st Marine Division, many of whom came to regard her as a |
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| 30 | 31 | | second mother; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, While the life of Elizabeth Mendoza ended far too |
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| 32 | 33 | | soon, those who were fortunate enough to know her will forever carry |
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| 33 | 34 | | her memory close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 35 | 36 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Elizabeth Mendoza |
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| 36 | 37 | | and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her |
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| 37 | 38 | | husband, Raul Elias Mendoza; to her son, Timothy Lee Mendoza; to her |
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| 38 | 39 | | grandchildren, Matthew I. Mendoza and Brooke Leann Mendoza; to her |
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| 39 | 40 | | mother, Ora Roel; to her brother, Roger Roel; to her sisters, |
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| 40 | 41 | | Belinda Peterson, Susie Rodriguez, and Ora Lee Roel; and to her |
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| 41 | 42 | | other relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 44 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 44 | 45 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Elizabeth |
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| 45 | 46 | | Mendoza. |
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