[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 73 (Monday, April 27, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E376-E377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MR. ROY RAMIRO BARRERA, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOAQUIN CASTRO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 27, 2026

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
legacy of Mr. Roy Ramiro Barrera, Sr., who passed away on Sunday, March 
15, 2026. A legal giant in San Antonio and across the state of Texas, 
Mr. Barrera helped pave the way for Hispanic excellence in the legal 
profession. He is survived by his children, Yolanda Barrera Arellano, 
Roy Barrera, Jr., Gilbert Barrera, Carmen Barrera Ramirez, and Robert 
Barrera, along with many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
  As a child, Mr. Barrera demonstrated an undeniable work ethic and 
worked numerous jobs throughout the San Antonio community. While in 
high school at San Antonio Vocational and Technical School, Mr. Barrera 
met Carmen Zendejas, where the two sparked a relationship that would 
last over seven decades, including 67 years of marriage.
  Upon graduation from San Antonio Vocational and Technical School in 
1944, Mr. Barrera joined the U.S. Army and served in the Asiatic-
Pacific Theater during World War II. While overseas, he received two 
overseas service bars and a good conduct medal.
  Following his honorable discharge in 1946, using G.I. Bill benefits, 
he enrolled in the St. Mary's University School of Law. He would go on 
to earn his Juris Doctorate in 1951. That same year he joined the Bexar 
County District Attorney's Office as an assistant district attorney. In 
1957, at the age of 28, he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in 
Alcorta v. Texas. In that same year, he and fellow prosecutor, Anthony 
Nicholas, started their own firm, Nicholas & Barrera.
  As Mr. Barrera built his legal career, in 1968, Texas Governor John 
Conally appointed him to become the first Hispanic Secretary of State. 
In 1973 he served as the first Hispanic President of the San Antonio 
Bar Association and remained a State Bar of Texas Foundation Fellow 
until his death. Mr. Barrera continued to practice law into his 
nineties, remaining a constant, invaluable resource for generations of 
attorneys.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the incredible life and 
remarkable legacy of Mr. Roy Barrera, Sr. He inspired many. He was a 
true leader, and I am grateful for his decades of service to our San 
Antonio community.

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