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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends are mourning the loss of Benito |
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R. Abeytia, a longtime Chicano and civil rights activist, who |
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passed away on February 18, 2009, at the age of 62; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on October 7, 1946, Benito Abeytia was the |
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eldest son of Pedro and Eleanor Abeytia, and he grew up alongside a |
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brother and eight sisters in west Phoenix; on a trip to visit |
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relatives in California, he met Cesar Chavez and was inspired to |
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dedicate his life to political activism from that point forward; an |
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aide to Mr. Chavez, he received valuable training from the leader of |
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the labor movement and was given the opportunity to join the United |
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Farm Workers of America; as a community organizer, Mr. Abeytia was |
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known for being a selfless and dependable team player and for his |
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willingness to make sacrifices for the greater good; he also had a |
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unique ability to relate to the migrant laborers and their plight; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 1974, Mr. Abeytia met a farmworker named Lucia, |
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whom he later married, and through the years, the couple nurtured a |
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close family; Mr. Abeytia instilled in his children the importance |
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of civic involvement, and he taught them that voting was a |
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responsibility and not an option; he never lost sight of the issues |
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faced by the Chicano and farmworker communities, and he remained |
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active in Centro Adelante Campesino; an ardent sports fan, Mr. |
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Abeytia also coached Little League and Pop Warner football, and he |
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was a member of the Arizona Umpire's Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Committed to his community and to social and |
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economic justice, Benito Abeytia was a champion for the |
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underrepresented, and his legacy will forever be treasured by all |
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those who were fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Benito R. Abeytia and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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Lucia; to his children, Jaime, Pedro, Relles, Pablo, Benito, |
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Margarita, Eleanor, and Helen; to his mother, Eleanor; to his |
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siblings, Rita, Cecilia, Josie, Armida, Margarita, Sylvia, Belen, |
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Barbara, and Bernie; to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; |
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and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Benito |
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Abeytia. |
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Chavez |
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Moody |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1546 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on April 30, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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