Bill Text: TX HR248 | 2013 | 83rd Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Congratulating Saoroth and Yani Rose Keo of Houston on their 60th wedding anniversary.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-25 - Reported enrolled [HR248 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR248-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Congratulating Saoroth and Yani Rose Keo of Houston on their 60th wedding anniversary.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-25 - Reported enrolled [HR248 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR248-Introduced.html
83S10625 BPG-D | ||
By: Vo | H.R. No. 248 |
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WHEREAS, July 31, 2013, marks the 60th wedding anniversary of | ||
Saoroth and Yani Keo of Houston, and this joyous event provides a | ||
fitting opportunity to reflect on their remarkable journey together | ||
as husband and wife; and | ||
WHEREAS, Natives of Cambodia, Saoroth Keo and the former Yani | ||
Rose Yos were brought together by their families; their fathers, | ||
both judges, had agreed to a union between their children before | ||
Mrs. Keo was even born, and Mr. Keo eventually chose the bold and | ||
strong-willed Yani over her more serene older sister; they were | ||
joined in matrimony in Phnom Penh in 1953, when Mrs. Keo was just | ||
15, but contrary to tradition, she continued her education even | ||
after the birth of their first child; and | ||
WHEREAS, Having studied engineering in Paris, Mr. Keo became | ||
director of Cambodia's railroads; Mrs. Keo honed her linguistic | ||
skills through extensive travel abroad and became an interpreter | ||
for the wife of the president, but political turmoil began to | ||
overwhelm the country; when refugees streamed into Phnom Penh, Mrs. | ||
Keo helped organize a volunteer aid group; her humanitarian efforts | ||
and international connections made her a target of Khmer Rouge | ||
rebels, and in April 1975, the couple was forced to flee; still | ||
hoping to serve his country, Mr. Keo subsequently tried to return, | ||
but the situation had grown even more desperate; for five terrible | ||
months, the whirlwind of political events kept the couple apart, | ||
and Mr. Keo was believed to have been killed until Mrs. Keo learned | ||
with relief that he had been sent to Houston under the sponsorship | ||
of Catholic Charities; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Keos began a new life together in Texas, where | ||
Mr. Keo learned English while working as a clerk at AE Services; his | ||
employers discovered he was a skilled draftsman and engineer, and | ||
he ultimately retired as a partner in the company; Mrs. Keo | ||
continued her philanthropy as a cofounder of the Refugee Services | ||
Alliance, which expanded its mission to provide aid to all | ||
immigrants; today, it is known as the Alliance for Multicultural | ||
Community Services; Mrs. Keo also helped establish the Texas | ||
Cambodian Temple of Houston and served as president of the | ||
Cambodian Farm Project and Khmer Village; moreover, she has served | ||
on the City of Houston Advisory Council of International | ||
Communities and chaired the Information Group for Asian American | ||
Rights; the Keos have personally sponsored many Cambodian refugees | ||
through the years; and | ||
WHEREAS, Devoted to their family, Mr. and Mrs. Keo take great | ||
pride in their four children, Rothmoni, Soudeth, Nanda, and Sorith | ||
Keo, as well as their 10 cherished grandchildren, Michael, Toni, | ||
Patrick, Mitchell, and Matthew Keo, Christopher and Tiffani Kou, | ||
Jason and Nancy Chamroeun, and Anand Pok; and | ||
WHEREAS, The 60 years of marriage that Mr. and Mrs. Keo have | ||
shared is eloquent affirmation of the meaning of love and | ||
commitment, and their enduring union is an inspiration to all who | ||
know them; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas | ||
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby congratulate Saoroth and | ||
Yani Rose Keo on their 60th wedding anniversary and extend sincere | ||
best wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for Mr. and Mrs. Keo as an expression of high regard by the | ||
Texas House of Representatives. |