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.
Landgraf
Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble
Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble
Allen Guillen Oliverson Allen Guillen Oliverson
Allen Guillen Oliverson
Allison Gutierrez Ortega Allison Gutierrez Ortega
Allison Gutierrez Ortega
Anchia Harless Pacheco Anchia Harless Pacheco
Anchia Harless Pacheco
Anderson Harris Paddie Anderson Harris Paddie
Anderson Harris Paddie
Ashby Hefner Parker Ashby Hefner Parker
Ashby Hefner Parker
Bailes Hernandez Patterson Bailes Hernandez Patterson
Bailes Hernandez Patterson
Beckley Herrero Paul Beckley Herrero Paul
Beckley Herrero Paul
Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez
Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez
Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan
Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan
Bernal Howard Price Bernal Howard Price
Bernal Howard Price
Biedermann Huberty Ramos Biedermann Huberty Ramos
Biedermann Huberty Ramos
Blanco Hunter Raney Blanco Hunter Raney
Blanco Hunter Raney
Bohac Israel Raymond Bohac Israel Raymond
Bohac Israel Raymond
Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds
Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds
Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr. Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr.
Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr.
Bucy Kacal Rose Bucy Kacal Rose
Bucy Kacal Rose
Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal
Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal
Burrows King of Parker Sanford Burrows King of Parker Sanford
Burrows King of Parker Sanford
Button King of Uvalde Schaefer Button King of Uvalde Schaefer
Button King of Uvalde Schaefer
Cain Klick Shaheen Cain Klick Shaheen
Cain Klick Shaheen
Calanni Krause Sheffield Calanni Krause Sheffield
Calanni Krause Sheffield
Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr. Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr.
Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr.
Capriglione Lambert Shine Capriglione Lambert Shine
Capriglione Lambert Shine
Clardy Landgraf Smith Clardy Landgraf Smith
Clardy Landgraf Smith
Cole Lang Smithee Cole Lang Smithee
Cole Lang Smithee
Coleman Larson Springer Coleman Larson Springer
Coleman Larson Springer
Collier Leach Stephenson Collier Leach Stephenson
Collier Leach Stephenson
Cortez Leman Stickland Cortez Leman Stickland
Cortez Leman Stickland
Craddick Longoria Stucky Craddick Longoria Stucky
Craddick Longoria Stucky
Cyrier Lopez Swanson Cyrier Lopez Swanson
Cyrier Lopez Swanson
Darby Lozano Talarico Darby Lozano Talarico
Darby Lozano Talarico
Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry
Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry
Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt
Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt
Dominguez Meyer Toth Dominguez Meyer Toth
Dominguez Meyer Toth
Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas
Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas
Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant
Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant
Fierro Miller VanDeaver Fierro Miller VanDeaver
Fierro Miller VanDeaver
Flynn Minjarez Vo Flynn Minjarez Vo
Flynn Minjarez Vo
Frank Moody Walle Frank Moody Walle
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morales White Frullo Morales White
Frullo Morales White
Geren Morrison Wilson Geren Morrison Wilson
Geren Morrison Wilson
Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray
Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray
Goldman Murphy Wu Goldman Murphy Wu
Goldman Murphy Wu
González of Dallas Murr Zedler González of Dallas Murr Zedler
González of Dallas Murr Zedler
González of El Paso Neave Zerwas González of El Paso Neave Zerwas
González of El Paso Neave Zerwas
Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener
Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 942 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on March 27, 2019.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble
Allen Guillen Oliverson
Allison Gutierrez Ortega
Anchia Harless Pacheco
Anderson Harris Paddie
Ashby Hefner Parker
Bailes Hernandez Patterson
Beckley Herrero Paul
Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez
Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan
Bernal Howard Price
Biedermann Huberty Ramos
Blanco Hunter Raney
Bohac Israel Raymond
Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds
Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr.
Bucy Kacal Rose
Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal
Burrows King of Parker Sanford
Button King of Uvalde Schaefer
Cain Klick Shaheen
Calanni Krause Sheffield
Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr.
Capriglione Lambert Shine
Clardy Landgraf Smith
Cole Lang Smithee
Coleman Larson Springer
Collier Leach Stephenson
Cortez Leman Stickland
Craddick Longoria Stucky
Cyrier Lopez Swanson
Darby Lozano Talarico
Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry
Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt
Dominguez Meyer Toth
Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas
Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant
Fierro Miller VanDeaver
Flynn Minjarez Vo
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morales White
Geren Morrison Wilson
Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray
Goldman Murphy Wu
González of Dallas Murr Zedler
González of El Paso Neave Zerwas
Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener