SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 488
In Memory
of
Oscar Soliz
WHEREAS, Nueces County lost an admired public servant with
the passing of retired district clerk Oscar Soliz of Corpus
Christi on December 15, 2014, at the age of 80; and
WHEREAS, Born in Corpus Christi on March 8, 1934, Oscar
Soliz was the son of Joe A. Soliz and Anita Gonzales Soliz; he
excelled in both football and baseball as a high school student
at Corpus Christi College-Academy; subsequently, he attended
Texas Christian University on a football scholarship before
completing bachelor's degrees in political science and law
enforcement at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Soliz married his high school sweetheart, Ola
Mae Trammell, in 1954; devoted to his family, he took great pride
in his children, Joseph, Jesse, Jackie, and Jennifer, and
steadfastly encouraged them to pursue their dreams; and
WHEREAS, After working alongside his father for a number of
years at the S and G Sales auto dealership, Mr. Soliz was elected
Nueces County district clerk in 1970, becoming one of the first
Latinos to win a countywide race in the area; his outstanding
service in office spanned 32 years, and during that time, he not
only excelled in fulfilling the duties of his position but also
promoted good governance by taking on a range of additional
responsibilities; he was appointed by Governor Preston Smith to
the Criminal Justice Council and the Criminal Justice Board, and
he represented Texas district clerks on task forces dealing with
a host of issues, including child support enforcement and
information technology; and
WHEREAS, This dynamic leader was the longest-serving
member of the National Association of County Officials Board, and
for more than a quarter of a century, he was a member of the
boards of the Texas Association of Counties and the Texas
Association of Regional Councils; in addition, he served as chair
of the Coastal Bend Council of Governments and as president of
the National Association of Regional Councils, the National
Association of Hispanic County Officials, and the National
Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks;
highly respected by his peers, he was the recipient of a long list
of prestigious accolades from national and state professional
organizations; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his other achievements, Mr. Soliz
held leadership positions in such organizations as the Boy Scouts
of America, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and
the United Way of the Coastal Bend; he belonged to Saint John the
Baptist Catholic Church and was active in the Knights of Columbus
and the International Order of Alhambra; an enthusiastic
political activist, he supported Democratic candidates at the
local, state, and national levels, served on the Democratic
National Committee, and was a super delegate at a number of the
party's national conventions; moreover, he was elected by the
Area Council on Aging to represent the Coastal Bend Region in the
Texas Silver-Haired Legislature; and
WHEREAS, A warmhearted, humble, and engaging man, Oscar
Soliz is deeply missed by his family, friends, and colleagues,
but they will continue to find inspiration in the outstanding
contributions he made to his community and state; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of Oscar Soliz and
extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: his
wife of 60 years, Ola Mae Soliz; his sons, Joseph Soliz and his
wife, Juanita, and Jesse Soliz and his wife, Judy Pokorny; his
daughters, Jackie Soliz-Chapa and her husband, Mario Chapa, and
Jennifer Soliz; his grandchildren, Lauren and Michael Soliz; and
his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas
Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in
memory of Oscar Soliz.
Hinojosa
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 7, 2015, by a
rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate