[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 31 (Thursday, February 18, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E140-E141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE LIVES OF AL AND DORA PADILLA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JUDY CHU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 18, 2021

  Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of Al 
Padilla, who passed away on October 4, 2020, at the age of 90, and his 
wife, Dora Padilla, who passed away on January 8, 2021, at the age of 
86 from COVID-19. Al and Dora touched the lives of countless students 
in the San Gabriel Valley and were larger than life figures in their 
communities.
  Hector Albert ``Al'' Padilla was born on March 22, 1930 in Tucson, 
Arizona, and moved to Los Angeles in 1939. Following high school, Al 
joined the United States Army and then enrolled in junior college. He 
transferred to Occidental College and was an all-conference guard on 
the Occidental football team. After years of playing sports at a young 
age, Al knew that coaching and mentoring young athletes was his 
calling. Al coached football at his alma mater, Roosevelt High School, 
before moving to rival Garfield High School. He went on to be the head 
football coach at East L.A. College, where he coached the Huskies to a 
state title in 1974 and was voted the California ``Coach of the Year.'' 
But it wasn't just wins and losses that made Al a legend in the East 
L.A. community, it was his impact on the lives of generations of 
players. Al demanded good grades and sportsmanship from all of his 
players, and taught them the importance of caring for their loved ones, 
teammates, and community. And long after his players would graduate, he 
would stay in touch with them, because he believed that his role as a 
mentor didn't end when he left the football field.
  Al's wife, Dora Padilla, was born on October 4, 1934 to Mexican 
immigrants. Dora began her long career in education by helping in her 
children's kindergarten classroom and by leading fundraisers as her 
children grew up in the Alhambra Unified School District. As she became 
more involved in school functions, she personally saw what students 
needed and was determined to bring change at the district level. She 
ran for the Alhambra Unified School District Board of Education on the 
slogan ``Querer al nino es educarlo,'' or ``To love a child is to 
educate a child,'' and won her seat

[[Page E141]]

in 1978. She became well-known as a reliable defender of arts and music 
programs at a time when the state cut the district's budget, and she 
has been credited as the reason the school district has maintained a K-
8 musical education program until today. She helped create the Alhambra 
Latino Association in 1995 and advocated for bilingual education, but 
also believed she represented all students regardless of their 
background. Dora was elected to five terms on the Board of Education 
and served for 20 years. In honor of her legacy, Alhambra High School 
dedicated a plaque outside of their new library in 1996, praising her 
``continued support and love of students seeking the American dream and 
equal opportunity.''
  Al and Dora were married for 64 years and made a lasting impression 
on their community and on many constituents in my district. I was 
fortunate to have known Dora well and to have seen the impacts of her 
achievements in Alhambra, and I saw first-hand the impact that Al had 
on his players when we both worked at East L.A. College together. Al 
and Dora leave behind an enduring legacy of public service and the 
development of generations of children and young adults. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in commemorating the lives of these two 
extraordinary individuals.

                          ____________________