Blanca Sanchez | |
---|---|
Mayor of Brownsville, Texas | |
In office 1999 – June 10, 2003 | |
Preceded by | Henry Gonzalez |
Succeeded by | Eddie Treviño |
Personal details | |
Born | Harlingen, Texas, U.S. | May 27, 1936
Died | February 19, 2014 Brownsville, Texas, U.S. | (aged 77)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Filemon Vela Sr. (1962-2004) |
Blanca Sanchez Vela (May 27, 1936 – February 19, 2014) was an American politician and matriarch of one of the most prominent families in Brownsville, Texas. [1] Vela, who served as the Mayor of Brownsville from 1999 until 2003, was the city's first female mayor. [1] [2] She remains the only woman to hold the mayoral office to date. [1] [3] Vela was married to the late United States federal judge Filemon Vela Sr., while her three children include U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela Jr. (D- Texas). [1]
Vela was born Blanca Sanchez in Harlingen, Texas, on May 27, 1936. [4] Her parents, Luis M. Sanchez and Maria R. "Cuca" Sanchez, were Mexican immigrants who moved to the United States from Linares, Nuevo León, and Zacatecas, respectively, when both were teenagers. [4] They first met each other in Harlingen. [4] Her father worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad while her mother worked as a homemaker. [4] Blanca Sanchez, who was the eldest of her parents' nine children, was raised in Harlingen. [4]
She married her husband, Filemon Vela, Sr., in 1962. [4] He was later appointed a U.S. federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The couple had three children: Filemon Vela, Jr., Rafael (Ralph), and Sylvia. [4]
Vela began her college career by taking the bus from Harlingen to Brownsville to attend Texas Southmost College, a community college. She later earned both her bachelor's degree and a master's degree. [4] [5]
Prior to her election as mayor in 1999, Vela served on the Brownsville Public Utilities Board (PUB), including a stint as the board's chairperson from 1995 until July 1998. [3] [4] [6] She and Betty Dodd co-founded of the Brownsville Public Library Foundation in 1994. [3] [4] [6] Blanca Vela also became the first woman to hold a seat on the Brownsville National Bank's board of directors. [4]
Vela announced her candidacy for Mayor on August 28, 1998, as a challenger to incumbent Mayor Henry Gonzalez, who was seeking re-election for a third term. [6] She defeated Gonzalez in the city's mayoral election on May 1, 1999. [5] [7] Vela garnered 3,003 votes (56%), while Gonzalez placed second with 2,379 votes (44%). [7]
On January 7, 2003, Mayor Blanca Vela announced that she would not seek re-election for a second term in a speech in front of the Market Square fountain. [8] [9] Her departure set off a competitive 2003 mayoral campaign between city commissioner Eddie Treviño and former Mayor Henry Gonzalez. [8] Treviño and Gonzalez placed first and second (out of four candidates) in the election held on May 3, 2003, which qualified them for the runoff. [10] In the runoff election held on June 7, 2003, Treviño won 4,377 votes (64.13%), defeating Gonzalez, who earned 2,448 votes (35.86%) to succeed Vela as mayor. [11]
Vela left office on June 10, 2003. [12] Vela issued as statement thanking her family and the citizens of the city as her last act in office. [12] In a speech following his oath of office on the same day, her successor, Mayor Eddie Treviño Jr., thanked Vela for her service as his first act as mayor. [12] Vela's official portrait, which was hung in commission chambers, was also unveiled on June 10. [12]
Vela died of natural causes at her home in Brownsville on February 16, 2014, at the age of 78. [1] [2] She was survived by her three children, Sylvia, Ralph, and U.S. Congressman Filemon Vela Jr. [3] Her husband, Judge Filemon Vela, Sr., died on April 13, 2004. [13]
Blanca Sanchez | |
---|---|
Mayor of Brownsville, Texas | |
In office 1999 – June 10, 2003 | |
Preceded by | Henry Gonzalez |
Succeeded by | Eddie Treviño |
Personal details | |
Born | Harlingen, Texas, U.S. | May 27, 1936
Died | February 19, 2014 Brownsville, Texas, U.S. | (aged 77)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Filemon Vela Sr. (1962-2004) |
Blanca Sanchez Vela (May 27, 1936 – February 19, 2014) was an American politician and matriarch of one of the most prominent families in Brownsville, Texas. [1] Vela, who served as the Mayor of Brownsville from 1999 until 2003, was the city's first female mayor. [1] [2] She remains the only woman to hold the mayoral office to date. [1] [3] Vela was married to the late United States federal judge Filemon Vela Sr., while her three children include U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela Jr. (D- Texas). [1]
Vela was born Blanca Sanchez in Harlingen, Texas, on May 27, 1936. [4] Her parents, Luis M. Sanchez and Maria R. "Cuca" Sanchez, were Mexican immigrants who moved to the United States from Linares, Nuevo León, and Zacatecas, respectively, when both were teenagers. [4] They first met each other in Harlingen. [4] Her father worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad while her mother worked as a homemaker. [4] Blanca Sanchez, who was the eldest of her parents' nine children, was raised in Harlingen. [4]
She married her husband, Filemon Vela, Sr., in 1962. [4] He was later appointed a U.S. federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The couple had three children: Filemon Vela, Jr., Rafael (Ralph), and Sylvia. [4]
Vela began her college career by taking the bus from Harlingen to Brownsville to attend Texas Southmost College, a community college. She later earned both her bachelor's degree and a master's degree. [4] [5]
Prior to her election as mayor in 1999, Vela served on the Brownsville Public Utilities Board (PUB), including a stint as the board's chairperson from 1995 until July 1998. [3] [4] [6] She and Betty Dodd co-founded of the Brownsville Public Library Foundation in 1994. [3] [4] [6] Blanca Vela also became the first woman to hold a seat on the Brownsville National Bank's board of directors. [4]
Vela announced her candidacy for Mayor on August 28, 1998, as a challenger to incumbent Mayor Henry Gonzalez, who was seeking re-election for a third term. [6] She defeated Gonzalez in the city's mayoral election on May 1, 1999. [5] [7] Vela garnered 3,003 votes (56%), while Gonzalez placed second with 2,379 votes (44%). [7]
On January 7, 2003, Mayor Blanca Vela announced that she would not seek re-election for a second term in a speech in front of the Market Square fountain. [8] [9] Her departure set off a competitive 2003 mayoral campaign between city commissioner Eddie Treviño and former Mayor Henry Gonzalez. [8] Treviño and Gonzalez placed first and second (out of four candidates) in the election held on May 3, 2003, which qualified them for the runoff. [10] In the runoff election held on June 7, 2003, Treviño won 4,377 votes (64.13%), defeating Gonzalez, who earned 2,448 votes (35.86%) to succeed Vela as mayor. [11]
Vela left office on June 10, 2003. [12] Vela issued as statement thanking her family and the citizens of the city as her last act in office. [12] In a speech following his oath of office on the same day, her successor, Mayor Eddie Treviño Jr., thanked Vela for her service as his first act as mayor. [12] Vela's official portrait, which was hung in commission chambers, was also unveiled on June 10. [12]
Vela died of natural causes at her home in Brownsville on February 16, 2014, at the age of 78. [1] [2] She was survived by her three children, Sylvia, Ralph, and U.S. Congressman Filemon Vela Jr. [3] Her husband, Judge Filemon Vela, Sr., died on April 13, 2004. [13]