| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | death of Joseph LaMantia Jr. of McAllen on June 14, 2021, at the age |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | of 88; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Joe LaMantia was born to Joseph and Verna LaMantia |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | in 1933, and he grew up in South Texas with five sisters, Marie, |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | Ann, Shirley, Verna, and Joan; his family settled in the Rio Grande |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | Valley in 1965, and in 1977 Mr. LaMantia started L&F Distributors, |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | a wholesale beer distribution company which has since grown to |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | encompass seven locations with nearly 1,100 employees serving 53 |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | counties across the Lone Star State; and |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, A longtime champion of education, Mr. LaMantia |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | established one of the first scholarships for women athletes at The |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | University of Texas-Pan American, and the scholarship was named for |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | his first wife, Ann LaMantia, who passed away in 1983; in addition, |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | L&F Distributors raised more than $5 million over eight years for |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and in 2002 he established the Stars |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | Scholarship Fund, which has disbursed over $35 million to more than |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | 17,000 students in South and West Texas; and |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Mr. LaMantia served on the board of the Texas |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | Department of Corrections for 15 years, and he was an active |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | supporter of the Rio Grande Cancer Treatment Research Foundation, |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | the American Heart Association, the South Texas Communities for |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | Youth Service, and the Special Olympics, among many other |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | worthwhile organizations; he was recognized as Border Texan of the |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | Year and as a Distinguished Citizen by the Boy Scouts of America Rio |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | Grande Council, and his numerous other honors include the Citizen |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | of the Year award from The University of Texas Health Science Center |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | at San Antonio, the Bridge Builder Award from UTPA, and the Golden |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | Eagle Award from the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | Commerce; and |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Following the death of his first wife, Mr. LaMantia |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | went on to share a rewarding marriage with Derrelene LaMantia that |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | spanned 36 years; he was a devoted father to his children, Val, Joe, |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | Greg, Steve, and Tony, and his stepchildren, Jennifer and Lori, and |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | he was eventually blessed with many grandchildren and |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | great-grandchildren; and |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | WHEREAS, A leader in his community, a successful |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | entrepreneur, and a generous philanthropist, Joe LaMantia leaves |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | behind a record of service that will continue to inspire all those |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | of Joseph LaMantia Jr. and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | and his many friends; and, be it further |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Joe |
|---|
| 52 | 53 | | LaMantia. |
|---|