Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HR2416 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.R. No. 2416
	1	+	84R24238 JGH-D
	2	+	By: Guillen H.R. No. 2416
2	3
3	4
4	5		R E S O L U T I O N
5	6		WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their
6	7		memories of Gregorio C. Barrera of Rio Grande City, who died on
7	8		April 16, 2015, at the age of 98; and
8	9		WHEREAS, Born in Rio Grande City on March 12, 1917, to Antonio
9	10		and Genoveva Barrera, Gregorio Barrera was a proud veteran of the
10	11		U.S. Army who survived one of the most harrowing episodes in World
11	12		War II, the Bataan Death March; and
12	13		WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera volunteered for the army in 1941, and he
13	14		was already serving in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked
14	15		Pearl Harbor; in April 1942, he was one of 76,000 American and
15	16		Filipino soldiers who had no choice but to surrender to the Japanese
16	17		Army at Bataan; the prisoners were forced to march 70 miles in six
17	18		days through brutal heat with little food or water, and
18	19		approximately 10,000 of them died of disease or were killed by their
19	20		captors; the stronger of the survivors, including Mr. Barrera, were
20	21		shipped to a POW camp in Osaka, Japan, where many more perished
21	22		because of forced labor, starvation, and the denial of medical
22	23		care; and
23	24		WHEREAS, Relying upon his strong religious faith and his
24	25		indomitable will, Mr. Barrera survived until Japan was defeated and
25	26		the camp was liberated in 1945; he recuperated at military
26	27		hospitals in the Philippines and San Antonio before returning to
27	28		civilian life in Rio Grande City, where for many years he shared the
28	29		details of his ordeal with only a few people; and
29	30		WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera was joined in matrimony to Teresa
30	31		Hernandez in 1949, and they enjoyed their lives together until her
31	32		death in January 2015; he was the father of five children, Gregorio,
32	33		Sylvia, and Ruben, as well as Juan Jose and Irma, who preceded him
33	34		in death; later in life, he was blessed with 13 grandchildren, 17
34	35		great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild; and
35	36		WHEREAS, After working as a janitor for a time, Mr. Barrera
36	37		joined the U.S. Postal Service in 1957, and he served as a postal
37	38		carrier until his retirement; he was a member of the Immaculate
38	39		Conception Catholic Church and the Rio Grande City chapter of the
39	40		Knights of Columbus; and
40	41		WHEREAS, In 1988, Mr. Barrera's wartime sacrifice was
41	42		recognized when the City of Rio Grande named a plaza in his honor,
42	43		and in 2013, the plaza was renovated and rededicated in his honor;
43	44		and
44	45		WHEREAS, A loving husband, a devoted father, and an American
45	46		hero, Gregorio Barrera survived the darkest trials of war and came
46	47		home to create a rich and fulfilling life for himself and his family
47	48		and to inspire others with his bravery and determination; now,
48	49		therefore, be it
49	50		RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
50	51		Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Gregorio C. Barrera
51	52		and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his
52	53		children, Gregorio Barrera Jr. and his wife, Cynthia, Sylvia De La
53	54		Garza and her husband, Eduardo, and Ruben Barrera and his wife,
54	55		Silvestra; to his 13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 1
55	56		great-great-grandchild; and to his other relatives and friends;
56	57		and, be it further
57	58		RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
58	59		prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
59	60		Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Gregorio C.
60	61		Barrera.
61		-	Guillen
62		-	______________________________
63		-	Speaker of the House
64		-	I certify that H.R. No. 2416 was unanimously adopted by a
65		-	rising vote of the House on May 21, 2015.
66		-	______________________________
67		-	Chief Clerk of the House