86R21334 GM-D
By: Landgraf H.R. No. 942
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A life of extraordinary achievement drew to a close
with the passing of the Honorable John F. "Jack" Onion Jr. of Austin
on September 2, 2018, at the age of 93; and
WHEREAS, Born on March 27, 1925, in San Antonio, Jack Onion
was the son of Judge John F. Onion and Harriet Onion and the
grandson of former state representative John Frank Onion; after
graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School, he enlisted along
with his twin brother, James, in the United States Marine Corps,
where he served our country during the invasion of Okinawa and the
occupation of Japan at the end of World War II; upon returning home
from the war, he pursued his childhood dream to become an attorney
by graduating from Trinity University and The University of Texas
School of Law; and
WHEREAS, A dedicated public servant, Judge Onion joined the
Bexar County District Attorney's Office and went on to become chief
of its civil division; in 1954, at the age of 29, he was elected a
justice of the peace in Bexar County, where he brought to Texas its
first ever medical examiner's office; continuing his success in the
Texas judiciary, he won his campaign to preside over Bexar County
Criminal District Court No. 2, making him the youngest elected
district judge in the state at the time; and
WHEREAS, In 1966, Judge Onion was elevated to a seat on the
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's highest criminal
court; he subsequently became the first elected presiding judge of
the court, after that position was made an elective office through
passage of a constitutional amendment, and he would go on to serve
in that capacity for 18 years; during his tenure, he authored around
1,500 signed and published majority opinions; following his
retirement, he continued to share his legal expertise for many
years as a visiting judge in trial and appellate courts; and
WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Judge Onion enjoyed the love
and support of his wife, Nancy Lee Vogelsang Onion, his longtime
partner in public service and family life; the couple were the
devoted parents of three children, John, David, and Carol, and they
were further blessed with six grandchildren, Kate, Frances, John,
Scott, Paige, and Case; admired for his warmth, geniality, and good
humor, as well as his great wisdom, Judge Onion always had a joke or
anecdote ready to put a matter into perspective; and
WHEREAS, A towering figure in the history of Texas criminal
law jurisprudence, Judge Onion had a love of the law and a
determination to reach the right answer in every case, and his
legacy will live on in his many contributions to his profession and
in the cherished memories of his loved ones, friends, and
colleagues; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable John F.
Onion Jr. and extend deepest condolences to his relatives and
friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Judge John
F. Onion Jr.