TITLE: In memory of Lynn County Sheriff Abraham Martin Vega.

SUMMARY: In memory of Lynn County Sheriff Abraham Martin Vega.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Lynn County lost an admired public servant with the death of Sheriff Abraham Vega on July 11, 2020, at the age of 48; and WHEREAS, Abraham Martin Vega was born in Brownfield to Abelardo Vega and Rachel Corona-Saldana on November 7, 1971, and he grew up with two siblings, Mark and Felicia; he was the proud father of two children, Marcus and Cori, and in 2018, he married Rachel Curry, becoming the stepfather to Kaitlyn and Curry Lehman; he was also blessed with a granddaughter, Emori; and WHEREAS, After graduating from Tahoka High School in 1990, Mr. Vega joined the Lynn County Sheriff's Office as a part-time dispatcher at the age of 19, working his way up to become the jail administrator; in 1994, he graduated from the South Plains Association of Governments law enforcement academy, and he went on to become a patrolman for the Tahoka Police Department, a Lynn County deputy sheriff, and the Tahoka Independent School District's first police chief; and WHEREAS, Mr. Vega returned to the Lynn County Sheriff's Office in 2001, serving as lieutenant and chief deputy before winning election as county sheriff and taking office in January 2017; he was licensed as a telecommunicator, jailer, instructor, and master peace officer by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, and as a leading member of the Texas Chief Deputies Association, he sat on several committees and the board of directors before serving as TCDA president from 2016 to 2017; he was also a member of the Cold Case Review Team of the Sheriffs' Association of Texas, the Texas Jail Association, and the Caprock Peace Officers' Association; and WHEREAS, In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Vega found time to serve two terms on the Tahoka ISD board of trustees, and he was also active with Little League and Little Dribblers; he volunteered as a sports photographer for the Lynn County News,taking thousands of photographs over the course of more than a decade; and WHEREAS, A dedicated law enforcement professional, Abraham Vega devoted himself to serving the community he loved, and he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire all those who were fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Sheriff Abraham Vega and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family 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 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Abraham Martin Vega. Burrows Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 183 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 10, 2021. Chief Clerk of the House