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  H.R. No. 1887
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
 
         WHEREAS, The late Ramiro Barrera, Sr., played a vital role as
  an educator and community leader in Starr County for many decades,
  and his life and legacy are indeed worthy of tribute; and
         WHEREAS, Ramiro Barrera was born in Los Saenz in 1920 to
  Trinidad and Benilde Barrera, both of whom were descended from
  founding families of the historic border village; his father was a
  rancher and his mother ran a small neighborhood store, and together
  they instilled a strong work ethic in their children, who were all
  expected to pitch in to help operate the family businesses; by the
  time he was six, Ramiro would rise early in the morning and trek
  several miles to carry breakfast to the herdsman watching over his
  father's goats; he would then return home with milk for his family;
  it was on these daily journeys that he began to develop his
  appreciation for the native flora and fauna of the Texas-Mexico
  border region; and
         WHEREAS, An avid student, Mr. Barrera attended Los Saenz
  Elementary for four years, after which he went to Roma Elementary;
  he then progressed to Roma High School, where he was taught by the
  Sisters of Mercy, who imparted to him a love for literature and
  learning and helped him to develop discipline through their firm
  but kind methods; because Roma High School only offered instruction
  through the 11th grade, he continued his education at Rio Grande
  High School in Rio Grande City, graduating with honors in 1937; and
         WHEREAS, Determined to pursue his dream of obtaining a
  college education, even though the country was still mired in the
  Great Depression and money was scarce, Mr. Barrera enrolled at the
  Texas College of Arts and Industries in Kingsville; to help pay for
  tuition, he began teaching elementary school in Garceno, and he
  went on to teach at schools in Fronton and Chapeno; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera's studies were interrupted by the
  outbreak of World War II; answering his nation's call to duty, he
  joined the U.S. Army in 1941; during his four years in the military
  he served in England, Scotland, France, and on special assignment
  in Portugal; and
         WHEREAS, After his discharge from the army in 1945,
  Mr. Barrera returned to Kingsville to complete his degree with the
  financial assistance of the GI Bill; during this time he met his
  wife, the former Crescencia Izaguirre, and the couple were joined
  in matrimony in May 1950; and
         WHEREAS, In 1948, Mr. Barrera returned to Los Saenz
  Elementary to serve as head teacher; he worked at the school for two
  and a half years before accepting an offer to teach social studies
  at San Isidro High School; during the summers he continued to pursue
  his education at Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos, where
  he earned a master's degree in education in 1954; he began his
  career in education administration that same year, when he joined
  the Roma Independent School District as a junior high principal;
  the next year he became the principal of Roma High School, a
  position he held for 22 years; during his tenure there, he helped
  guide the school through a time of steady growth and success; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera retired as principal of Roma High School
  in 1978, at the age of 58; he then joined the Southwest Educational
  Development Laboratory as a part-time consultant and researcher,
  working with several schools in Starr County; after four years with
  SEDL, he retired from education for good in order to spend time with
  his wife and family and to focus on his ranches in Starr and Zapata
  Counties; he remained in touch with former colleagues through his
  involvement with the Roma Retired Teachers Association; and
         WHEREAS, A respected member of his community, Mr. Barrera was
  active in Our Lady of Refuge Church in Roma, and he volunteered his
  time with a number of organizations devoted to helping others;
  moreover, he was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the
  Knights of Columbus, holding third-degree Knight status with the
  Roma chapter and fourth-degree Knight status with the Rio Grande
  City chapter; he also worked with the Starr County Historical
  Society to preserve the history of the area, and he provided
  valuable assistance with researching the early days of Roma and Los
  Saenz and the communities' founding families; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera further dedicated himself to preserving
  the environment and natural resources of the area; his efforts were
  recognized by the Rio Bravo Resource Conservation District, which
  honored him with its Distinguished Service Award for 17 years of
  service, and by the Starr County Soil and Water Conservation
  District, which presented him with an award for 22 years of service;
  and
         WHEREAS, During his nearly 40 years in the field of
  education, Mr. Barrera had a significant impact on the lives of
  countless young people, and he had the great pleasure of seeing many
  of his students grow up to enjoy successful and productive lives; on
  March 29, 2007, the Roma Independent School District named its
  newest campus the Ramiro Barrera Middle School, in honor of his
  exceptional service as a teacher and an administrator; and
         WHEREAS, Although Ramiro Barrera, Sr., passed away in 2004,
  his memory lives on in his children, Annabel Pena and Dr. Ramiro
  Barrera, Jr., and in his five grandchildren, Daniel Barrera, Angela
  Barrera, Aaron Pena, Adrian Pena, and Ariel Pena; they inherited
  from him the same dedication to education, conservation, and
  community service that made him a role model to many of his former
  students and colleagues; and
         WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family and community, Ramiro
  Barrera, Sr., made a meaningful difference in the lives of his loved
  ones and fellow citizens alike, and his contributions will be
  fondly remembered for years to come; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
  Legislature hereby honor the memory of Ramiro Barrera, Sr., for his
  extensive public service; 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 Ramiro
  Barrera, Sr.
 
  Guillen
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 1887 was unanimously adopted by a
  rising vote of the House on May 19, 2011.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House