Bill Text: TX HR1887 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Honoring the memory of Ramiro Barrera, Sr., of Roma for his public service.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-21 - Reported enrolled [HR1887 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR1887-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Honoring the memory of Ramiro Barrera, Sr., of Roma for his public service.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-21 - Reported enrolled [HR1887 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR1887-Introduced.html
82R26590 RYA-D | ||
By: Guillen | H.R. No. 1887 |
|
||
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. |