Bill Text: TX HR17 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: In memory of Joseph LaMantia Jr. of McAllen.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-07-09 - Filed [HR17 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HR17-Introduced.html
| 87S10731 JGH-D | ||
| By: Guillen | H.R. No. 17 | |
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| WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the | ||
| death of Joseph LaMantia Jr. of McAllen on June 14, 2021, at the age | ||
| of 88; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Joe LaMantia was born to Joseph and Verna LaMantia | ||
| in 1933, and he grew up in South Texas with five sisters, Marie, | ||
| Ann, Shirley, Verna, and Joan; his family settled in the Rio Grande | ||
| Valley in 1965, and in 1977 Mr. LaMantia started L&F Distributors, | ||
| a wholesale beer distribution company which has since grown to | ||
| encompass seven locations with nearly 1,100 employees serving 53 | ||
| counties across the Lone Star State; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A longtime champion of education, Mr. LaMantia | ||
| established one of the first scholarships for women athletes at The | ||
| University of Texas-Pan American, and the scholarship was named for | ||
| his first wife, Ann LaMantia, who passed away in 1983; in addition, | ||
| L&F Distributors raised more than $5 million over eight years for | ||
| the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and in 2002 he established the Stars | ||
| Scholarship Fund, which has disbursed over $35 million to more than | ||
| 17,000 students in South and West Texas; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. LaMantia served on the board of the Texas | ||
| Department of Corrections for 15 years, and he was an active | ||
| supporter of the Rio Grande Cancer Treatment Research Foundation, | ||
| the American Heart Association, the South Texas Communities for | ||
| Youth Service, and the Special Olympics, among many other | ||
| worthwhile organizations; he was recognized as Border Texan of the | ||
| Year and as a Distinguished Citizen by the Boy Scouts of America Rio | ||
| Grande Council, and his numerous other honors include the Citizen | ||
| of the Year award from The University of Texas Health Science Center | ||
| at San Antonio, the Bridge Builder Award from UTPA, and the Golden | ||
| Eagle Award from the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of | ||
| Commerce; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Following the death of his first wife, Mr. LaMantia | ||
| went on to share a rewarding marriage with Derrelene LaMantia that | ||
| spanned 36 years; he was a devoted father to his children, Val, Joe, | ||
| Greg, Steve, and Tony, and his stepchildren, Jennifer and Lori, and | ||
| he was eventually blessed with many grandchildren and | ||
| great-grandchildren; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A leader in his community, a successful | ||
| entrepreneur, and a generous philanthropist, Joe LaMantia leaves | ||
| behind a record of service that will continue to inspire all those | ||
| who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas | ||
| Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory | ||
| of Joseph LaMantia Jr. and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family | ||
| and his many friends; 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 Joe | ||
| LaMantia. | ||
