H.R. No. 107

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Ralph Hockley of Dallas, a
	Holocaust survivor who distinguished himself through his exemplary
	service to his fellow citizens, passed away on November 8, 2023, at
	the age of 98; and
	WHEREAS, Born as Rudolph Martin Hockenheimer on October 17,
	1925, Ralph Hockley grew up in a Jewish household in Karlsruhe,
	Germany; after Adolf Hitler rose to power, he and his family sought
	refuge in Marseille, France, only to once again find themselves
	under threat when the Nazis invaded France in May 1940; Mr. Hockley
	was targeted for being a German immigrant and ultimately expelled
	from school, while his father was arrested and held in various
	internment camps; and
	WHEREAS, Unable to return to school, Mr. Hockley used his
	German, English, and French language skills to become an
	interpreter for the American Friends Service Committee, a
	Quaker-run organization that helped refugees to escape Nazi Germany
	and occupied France; Mr. Hockley went on to use his connections to
	the Quakers and the U.S. Consulate to secure visas for himself and
	his family; after a long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the
	Hockleys arrived in New York on June 30, 1941; and
	WHEREAS, On the day he turned 18 years old, Mr. Hockley
	enlisted in the U.S. Army, and he was eventually deployed to Europe
	for assignments in port security and counterintelligence; in May
	1946, he concluded his active duty service at the rank of sergeant
	and remained in the army reserve; he subsequently earned a
	bachelor's degree in Soviet studies from Syracuse University before
	returning to active duty during the Korean War; he served in seven
	campaigns in Korea, including as a forward observer for French
	United Nations forces during the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge; in
	recognition of his valorous actions in that war, he earned a Bronze
	Star Medal with a "V" device, and he continued his career in
	U.S. intelligence in West Germany until 1981; he accepted the
	Legion of Honour, France's top civilian honor, in 2021; and
	WHEREAS, From an early age, Mr. Hockley actively sought out
	service opportunities in a number of organizations, including the
	Free French youth association and the United Nations Appeal for
	Children; for more than 70 years, he was a member of the Reserve
	Officers Association of the United States, in which he held various
	offices; he further served as president of the San Francisco branch
	of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and as a
	chapter president of the Korean War Veterans Association; in 2000,
	he published a book about his military career and his experience
	living in Nazi Germany, Freedom Is Not Free; he resided in the
	Dallas area for a decade before his passing, and he had recently
	begun sharing his story with visitors to the Dallas Holocaust and
	Human Rights Museum and with other adult and student groups; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Hockley met his first wife, fellow Holocaust
	survivor Eva Frankel, in Oakland, California, and the couple shared
	in the joy of raising two children, Clifford and Denise; after her
	death in 1983, he was fortunate to find love a second time with the
	former Carolyn Glover Harris, his wife of nearly four decades; he
	was blessed with a blended family that included three stepchildren,
	Kris, Heidi, and Kirk, as well as many grandchildren,
	step-grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and
	WHEREAS, After bearing witness to one of the darkest chapters
	in history, Ralph Hockley courageously stepped forward to serve his
	adopted country and to defend the cause of freedom, and those he
	leaves behind will forever find inspiration in their memories of
	this extraordinary man; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
	Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of
	Ralph Hockley and extend heartfelt sympathy to the members of his
	family: to his wife, Carolyn Glover Hockley; to his children,
	Clifford Hockley and Denise Hockley; to his stepchildren, Kris
	Harris, Heidi Hargis, and Dr. Kirk Harris; to his grandchildren,
	step-grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and to his other
	relatives and 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 Ralph
	Hockley.
	Johnson of Dallas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 107 was unanimously adopted by a
	rising vote of the House on December 5, 2023.
	______________________________