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May 10, 2005
Capitol Community Bids Final Farewell
to Houston House Member Joe Moreno
The late State Rep. Joe Moreno was laid to
rest Tuesday at the foot of a wooded hillside by a small
pond in the spot he'd chosen personally at the Texas State
Cemetery just a few blocks from downtown Austin. More than
1,000 people from the Texas Capitol community and Moreno's
east Houston district gathered at the cemetery to say goodbye
to the seven-year House veteran who died at the age of 40
in a truck crash on his way back from a Houston Rockets
game late last week.
The burial service began amid a warm lazy breeze under
an awning of gray but was basked in the sunlight before
it came to an end. The mourners included a bipartisan mix
of legislators, lobbyists, Capitol staff members and state
leaders such as Governor Rick Perry, Lieutenant Governor
David Dewhurst and Speaker Tom Craddick.
Moreno was taken to his final resting place after a series
of Houston events that began Monday night with a rosary
and ended with a funeral Mass at Catholic Charismatic Center.
State Rep. Jessica Farrar, a Democrat who was Moreno's best
friend in the Legislature, and Houston Mayor Bill White
both spoke at Moreno's funeral in his old stomping grounds
of east Houston. U.S. Reps. Al Green, Sheila Jackson Lee
and Gene Green traveled to Houston for the funeral. State
Rep. Al Edwards spoke at the internment in Austin.
A fellowship reception was set at the Austin Four Seasons
Hotel following the burial service - and a memorial session
will be held in Moreno's honor on Wednesday at 9 a.m. in
the Texas House chamber. Members of all branches of state
government are planning to attend.
The funeral took place a day after Monica Pinion - who
was asleep in the back seat of Moreno's pickup truck when
it crashed - under went a second day of surgery at Brackenridge
Hospital just a few blocks away from the cemetery. Pinion,
who is chief of staff to State Rep. Joe Pickett of El Paso,
had surgery on one ankle and her hand shortly after the
accident occurred. More surgery may be required. State Rep.
Rafael Anchia, who was treated and released after escaping
serious injury while riding in the passenger seat, spoke
to the House on Monday about the experience.
A tentative autopsy report Monday showed the Moreno died
of massive internal injuries - all of which could have been
fatal. Travis County Medical Examiner Robert Bayardo has
been in charge of toxicology tests.
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