David  Longoria

LONGORIA, DAVID (1910~1984) David Longoria, Assistant Attorney General and brother to state legislator and district judge, Raul L. Longoria, was born December 25, 1910, in La Grulla, Starr County, Texas, to Andres and Maria Enriqueta Longoria. The third of seven children, David attended Texas A&I University at Kingsville, which is now apart of the Texas A&M University System. After graduating, he taught history in La Grulla from 1932 to 1942. It was during this time that he met Gladys Lewallen, whom he married on April 11, 1940.

After leaving his teaching job in La Grulla, David and Gladys moved to Laredo, where they both worked in U. S. Postal Censorship, but, after the United States entered into World War II, David left to join the Army. He enlisted on April 26, 1944, and spent 16 months in the European Theater of Operations, before being discharged as a Technical Sergeant on March 14, 1946.

Upon his return to Texas, David and Gladys moved to Austin, where he enrolled in the University of Texas Law School. After receiving his degree in 1949, he began his legal career in Austin by setting up a solo practice, where he spent his time working with the underprivileged families of East Austin. During this time, he served as a Cub Scout leader, provided free legal help, and worked with the Mexican Consulate in helping immigrants apply for citizenship.

In 1965, David followed his brother, Raul, into state government, when he accepted Attorney General Waggoner Carr's appointment as an Assistant Attorney General. Throughout the next 12 years, he served under Carr's successors, Crawford Martin and John Hill, and, upon his resignation, was recognized for his years of dedicated service and his legal abilities.

After leaving the Attorney General's Office in 1977, David returned to his law practice, where he continued to serve his community and the legal profession, for which he was a member of the Travis County Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and St. Mary's Cathedral of Austin.

David passed away on May 24, 1984, and was buried in Austin's Assumption Cemetery, until August 15, 2001, when his family had his remains moved to the Texas State Cemetery, where his brother, Raul, was interred that May. At the time of his death, David was survived by his wife, Gladys, his four children, James, David, Henrietta and Beverly, and five grandchildren.

Information provided by Gladys Longoria; the December 1984 edition of the Texas Bar Journal and The Longoria Alcala Family web page, http://www.raullongoria.net/.