| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2537 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their |
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| 6 | 6 | | memories of Leonel R. Garza of Freer, who died on July 16, 2022, at |
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| 7 | 7 | | the age of 82; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Born on July 4, 1940, to Lazaro and Olivia Garza, |
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| 9 | 9 | | Leonel Garza grew up with 12 siblings, Maria, Ofelia, Carmen, |
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| 10 | 10 | | Lupita, Hane, Rosa, Liz, Gloria, Mandy, Eloy, Larry, and Gilbert; |
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| 11 | 11 | | in his youth, he did migrant work in Texas and the Midwest, and he |
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| 12 | 12 | | was a star athlete at Benavides High School, where he graduated in |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1959; answering his nation's call to duty, he enlisted in the |
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| 14 | 14 | | U.S. Marine Corps and served until his honorable discharge in 1968 |
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| 15 | 15 | | at the rank of corporal; he married the former Elda Garcia in 1961, |
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| 16 | 16 | | and they became the proud parents of five daughters, Leticia, Nori, |
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| 17 | 17 | | Noelia, Elsa, and Imelda; later in life, he was blessed with 12 |
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| 18 | 18 | | grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Mr. Garza and his family settled in |
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| 20 | 20 | | Freer, where he became the manager of the Center Circle Texaco |
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| 21 | 21 | | station and went on to found the Muy Grande store; in 1976, he began |
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| 22 | 22 | | a career selling ranches and serving as a ranch consultant that |
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| 23 | 23 | | spanned half a century; he was also active as a member of the school |
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| 24 | 24 | | board, the sportsman's club, the chamber of commerce, and the Lions |
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| 25 | 25 | | Club, as well as the Duval County Groundwater Conservation |
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| 26 | 26 | | District; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, A celebrated outdoorsman, Mr. Garza founded the Muy |
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| 28 | 28 | | Grande Deer Contest in 1965, one of the largest such contests in the |
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| 29 | 29 | | world; he wrote and created many books and videos about the |
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| 30 | 30 | | competition, and he designed the Muy Grande camouflage pattern; as |
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| 31 | 31 | | a hunter, he personally collected more than 20,000 heads of |
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| 32 | 32 | | whitetail deer; his many honors include awards from the City of |
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| 33 | 33 | | Freer and the Texas Senate and House of Representatives, as well as |
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| 34 | 34 | | the Gene Riser Award from the Texas Deer Association; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Leonel Garza lived a rich and purposeful life, and |
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| 36 | 36 | | he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire all those |
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| 37 | 37 | | who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 39 | 39 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Leonel R. Garza and |
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| 40 | 40 | | extend sincere condolences to the members of his family and to his |
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| 41 | 41 | | many friends; and, be it further |
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| 42 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 43 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 44 | 44 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Leonel |
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| 45 | 45 | | Garza. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Guillen |
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| 47 | 47 | | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 49 | 49 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2537 was unanimously adopted by a |
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| 50 | 50 | | rising vote of the House on May 29, 2023. |
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| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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