HM 26 — "VIOLA FLOREZ TIGHE DAY"

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 26DECLARING 57THFEBRUARY LEGISLATURE17, -2025 STATE"VIOLA OFFLOREZ NEWMEXICOTIGHE -DAY" FIRSTIN SESSIONTHE 2025HOUSE INTRODUCEDOF BYREPRESENTATIVES. E.

Diane5 Torres-VelásquezWHEREAS, 6Viola 8Florez 10Tighe, Athe MEMORIALformer DECLARINGsecretary FEBRUARYof 17,higher 2025education "VIOLAand FLOREZa TIGHEtitan DAY"in INthe THEfield HOUSEof OFeducation REPRESENTATIVES.in New Mexico, died in Albuquerque on January 21, 2025;

14and WHEREAS, ViolaVi Florezwas Tighe,born thein formerBloomfield secretaryon ofJuly higher30, education1947, andone a titan in the field of educationtwelve inchildren Newborn Mexico,to diedJose inMerced AlbuquerqueFlorez onand JanuaryFlorence 21,Hancock 2025;Florez;

and e t 17 WHEREAS, Vi wasreceived borna inbachelor's Bloomfielddegree onfrom JulyFort 30,Lewis 1947,college oneand wwent lon n d 18 of twelve children born to Josereceive Merceda Florezmaster's anddegree Florencein =education =from 19the auniversity lof HancockColorado; Florez;

and i a e r 20 WHEREAS, Viafter receivedseveral ayears bachelor'sof degreeteaching fromin Fortelementary Lewis a t m m 21 college and wentmiddle onschools, toVi receivereceived a master'sdoctor degreeof in education din rcurriculum eand 22instruction from theTexas universityA ofand Colorado;M university- Kingsville;

and c e s k 23 WHEREAS, afterVi severaljoined yearsthe faculty of teachingTexas inA elementary and eM auniversity, nwhere bshe 24 middle schools, Vi received athe doctoroutstanding ofnew educationfaculty award in curriculum1985 u [ and instructionthe fromdistinguished Texasteaching Aaward andin M1987; university-Kingsville;

and .229966.2 WHEREAS, Vi joined the faculty of Texas A and M university, where she received the outstanding new faculty award in 1985 and the distinguished teaching award in 1987;

and WHEREAS, at the university of New Mexico, she was the HM 26 Page 1 dean of the college of education from 1997 until 2008, served twice as provost, held the PNM endowed chair in 2009 and was named dean emerita in 2019;

and e t 17 WHEREAS, Vi served as a member of the board of directors w l n d 18 of the university of New Mexico retiree association and chaired = = 19 a l its legislative committee, securing the rights of all to i a e r 20 pension and retirement benefits;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, Vi was a member of the Hispanic women's council d r e 22 from 2006 until 2021, serving as president in 2014 and c e s k 23 receiving the las primeras award in 2008 and the estrella e a n b 24 brillante award in 2015;

and u [ WHEREAS, Vi received numerous awards during her storied .229966.2 - 2 - career, including the university of New Mexico alumni lobo award in 2007 and the New Mexico distinguished public service award in 2008;

and WHEREAS, Vi held a lifelong passion for education, and her contributions to the field, including numerous publications, have left a lasting legacy throughout the HM 26 Page 2 state;

and her siblings, Steve Florez and partner, Dolores, Louella Florez Evans and partner, Jesse, Frank Florez e t 17 and partner, Gloria, Katrina Florez Fitt and partner, Jeff, w l n d 18 Bill Florez and partner, Abby, Kenneth Florez and partner, = = 19 a l Joanna, Corine Florez, Susan Florez Chavez and partner, Ken, i a e r 20 Robert Florez and partner, Charrise, and Carmen Florez Mansi a t m m 21 and partner, Tom;

d r e 22 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF c e s k 23 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 17, e a n b 24 2025 be declared "Viola Florez Tighe Day" in recognition of her u [ distinguished career and innumerable contributions to higher .229966.2 - 3 - education in New Mexico;

-HM 426 -Page 73 925 11 13 15 e t 17 w l n d 18 = = 19 a l i a e r 20 a t m m 21 d r e 22 c e s k 23 e a n b 24 u [ .229966.2