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89(R) SR 222 - Enrolled version - Bill Text
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 222
In Memory
of
Joe Bernal
WHEREAS, Former state senator and representative Joe J.
Bernal of San Antonio passed away on January 25, 2025, at the age
of 97, bringing a great loss to his family, his friends, and his
community; and
WHEREAS, The son of Jose and Antonia Bernal, Joe Bernal was
born in San Antonio on March 1, 1927, and he grew up with the
companionship of eight siblings; after graduating from Lanier
High School in 1944, he joined the U.S. Army and served with the
Headquarters Squadron, Pacific Air Command, in Manila and Tokyo
during World War II; he attained the rank of sergeant before
receiving his honorable discharge at the age of 19; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bernal earned a bachelor's degree in
sociology from Trinity University, and he began his career as
an educator with the Kosciusko Independent School District; he
went on to teach at elementary schools in Edgewood ISD and San
Antonio ISD and to obtain a master's degree in education with a
minor in social work from Our Lady of the Lake College; along
the way, he was employed as a social worker at the Inman
Christian Center for several years; he later received a
doctorate in cultural foundations in education from The
University of Texas at Austin; and
WHEREAS, A passionate advocate for education and civil
rights, Mr. Bernal successfully ran for a seat in the Texas House
of Representatives in 1964; he was subsequently elected state
senator by the people of Bexar County and began the first of two
consecutive terms in the Texas Senate in January 1967; over the
course of his tenure as a legislator, he championed bilingual
education and the end of de jure segregation, and in 1969, he
overcame fierce opposition to secure passage of the state's first
bilingual education act; he also played an instrumental role in
establishing UT San Antonio and the UT Health Science Center, and
he helped to build a strong foundation for early childhood
education in Texas; among numerous committee assignments, he
served as chair of the Senate Committees on Poverty in Texas,
Claims, and Federal Programs and Relations; he further
distinguished himself as the first executive director of the
Mexican American Legislative Caucus; and
WHEREAS, While carrying out his duties as a lawmaker,
Senator Bernal was employed as executive director for the
Guadalupe Community Center and then for the Commission for
Mexican American Affairs; an avid supporter of the Mexican
American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, he became a founding
member of the organization's board in 1968, holding that role for
10 years; in 1971, he served as the lead plaintiff in
White v.
Regester
, a successful challenge to Texas' 1970 congressional
redistricting plans; and
WHEREAS, After concluding his service in the Texas
Legislature in 1973, Senator Bernal became an educational
researcher for the Intercultural Development Research Association
as well as a regional director for ACTION, a federal agency that
coordinated volunteer opportunities; beginning in 1982, he served
as principal of Emma Frey Elementary School in Edgewood ISD for
five years, and he subsequently accepted a position as assistant
superintendent for instructional services in Harlandale ISD; and
WHEREAS, Senator Bernal was elected to the State Board of
Education in 1996, and over the next decade, he continued his
efforts to advocate for bilingual education; he worked
tirelessly to provide classrooms with Spanish-language textbooks
and to have the elementary curriculum translated into Spanish,
and he supported the addition of mariachi band competitions to
the University Interscholastic League; twice reelected to the
board, he served as its vice chair from 2001 to 2003 and chaired
the committee on instruction; and
WHEREAS, Among his many accolades, Senator Bernal was
recognized with the Inspire Award from the SAISD Foundation in
2013, and he and his wife, fellow educator Mary Esther Bernal,
received the Lifetime Achievement Award from MALDEF in 2009; in
2014, Northside ISD named Bernal Middle School in his honor; and
WHEREAS, Above all else, Senator Bernal was devoted to his
family; he and his wife shared a rewarding marriage of six and a
half decades before her passing, and he took great pride in their
four children, Richard, Patrick, Rebecca, and the late Barney
Bernal; over the years, he was further blessed with eight
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Joe Bernal made a lasting, positive difference in
the lives of countless Texans through his exceptional
contributions as a public servant, and those who were fortunate
enough to know him will forever treasure their memories of his
generosity, his strength of character, and his love for his
family and community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Joe
J. Bernal and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many
friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns
this day, it do so in memory of Joe Bernal.
Menéndez
Alvarado
Hagenbuch
Middleton
Bettencourt
Hall
Miles
Birdwell
Hancock
Nichols
Blanco
Hinojosa of Hidalgo
Parker
Campbell
Hinojosa of Nueces
Paxton
Cook
Huffman
Perry
Creighton
Hughes
Schwertner
Eckhardt
Johnson
Sparks
Flores
King
West
Gutierrez
Kolkhorst
Zaffirini
Patrick, President of the Senate
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on June 1, 2025, by a
rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate