87S20154 BK-D
By: Vasut H.R. No. 127
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Residents of Quintana are mourning the loss of
former mayor and town council member Deborah Estelle Alongis, who
passed away on July 26, 2021, at the age of 66; and
WHEREAS, Born on January 5, 1955, Deborah Alongis lived in
Kalamazoo, Michigan, before moving across the country to the tiny
seaside town of Quintana in 1981; she first operated a bar and
restaurant called Jeff's Jetty Burgers alongside her brother, and
she soon met her future husband, boat captain Steve Alongis, who
offered her a job as a deckhand; the two fell in love and later
married, sharing nearly 40 years together, and they often worked
side by side in behalf of their community; and
WHEREAS, Although Quintana had little more than a dozen
registered voters when she arrived, Ms. Alongis envisioned a bright
future for the city; setting her sights on public office, she
successfully ran for a seat on the town council in 1988, and she
went on to be elected mayor for a tenure that lasted from 1993 to
2001; after taking a break, she returned to the council in 2014 and
continued serving area citizens for another seven years until her
passing; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Alongis was passionate about preserving the
natural beauty of Quintana; she devoted her efforts to maintaining
its beach and sand dunes for the enjoyment of all, and she was
instrumental in establishing several local parks, in addition to
enriching the landscape with a multitude of palm trees, native
foliage, and wildflowers; through her leadership, the town received
a number of State of Texas community achievement awards and grants,
and it also earned the distinction of being the smallest city in the
state to offer curbside recycling; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Alongis was the proud mother of a daughter, Amy,
and she was further blessed with three precious grandchildren,
Jacob, Daphne, and Luke, who brought her much joy and happiness; an
outgoing and gregarious woman, she endeared herself to numerous
people and also enjoyed a wide circle of friends; and
WHEREAS, Deeply dedicated to her family and her community,
Deborah Alongis made a meaningful difference in the lives of her
loved ones and fellow citizens alike, and her contributions will be
fondly remembered for years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory
of Deborah Estelle Alongis and extend heartfelt sympathy to the
members of her family: to her husband, Steve Alongis; to her sister
and brother-in-law, Cathy and Phil Christian; to her brothers, Gigi
Reynolds and John Reynolds; to her daughter and son-in-law, Amy and
Wayne Brune; to her grandchildren, Jacob, Daphne, and Luke; and to
her other relatives and friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Deborah
Estelle Alongis.