TITLE: In memory of U.S. Army Private First Class Joel Ramirez of Waxahachie.

SUMMARY: In memory of U.S. Army Private First Class Joel Ramirez of Waxahachie.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The family and friends of U.S. Army Private First Class Joel Ramirez of Waxahachie suffered an immeasurable loss with the death of this valiant soldier on April 16, 2011, at the age of 22; and WHEREAS, Private Ramirez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry, 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, New York; he was mortally wounded in Nimroz Province while serving his country on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, Born in Fall River Mills, California, on July 12, 1988, Joel Ramirez was the beloved son of Irma and Chano Ramirez; in 2001, his family moved to Waxahachie, where he was a valued member of the varsity soccer team at Waxahachie High School and graduated in 2007; and WHEREAS, Private Ramirez joined the U.S. Army in 2009 and excelled in his duties; as a machine gunner, he was first in his unit in accuracy, and he was also at the top of his class in physical fitness; and WHEREAS, This brave young Texan was known for his dedication to his family, his infectious good humor, his love of animals, and his talent as an artist; and WHEREAS, Americans owe a profound debt to our nation's servicemen and servicewomen, whose sacrifices are deserving of our deepest respect and gratitude; through his unwavering dedication to duty, Joel Ramirez embodied the highest ideals of the United States armed forces, and those who knew him will forever hold his memory close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Private First Class Joel Ramirez and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his parents, Irma and Feliciano Ramirez; to his daughter, Kaylee Marie Ramirez; to his sisters, Christian and Maria Ramirez; to his brother, Daniel Ramirez; to his grandmother, Maria Ramirez; and to his other 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 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of U.S. Army Private First Class Joel Ramirez. Pitts Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1974 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 19, 2011. Chief Clerk of the House