El Paso Public Library
Photo of the Lower Valley Branch Library

Official Library Renaming Ceremony

The formerly named Lower Valley Branch Library will be officially renamed the Judge Edward S. Marquez Mission Valley Branch Library on Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 610 N. Yarbrough beginning at 11 am. The ceremony will feature speeches by various dignitaries including representatives from the Marquez family. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information call 543-5468.

Judge Edward S. Márquez was born in El Paso in 1931. He and his sister, Irene Elsa, are the children of Y.B. and Francisca Marquez.

He graduated from El Paso High School in 1949 and later traveled to Austin, Texas where he obtained his undergraduate degree from UT Austin. In 1960, he received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law. He served in the US Air Force during the Korean Conflict and was a member of the Air Rescue Service.

Judge Marquez entered private practice in 1960 and in 1965 became First Assistant District Attorney. From 1971 to 1974, he served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, and from 1974 to 1996, he became State District Judge -65th District Court. He was also Judge to the Tax docket of the 34th District Court.

Photo of Judge Edward S. Márquez
















Judge Edward S. Márquez
He was an avid supporter of community programs designed to mentor and guide young people in our community. He established a Junior Toastmasters Club at the El Paso Boy’s Club to promote public speaking by Hispanic students and also worked to develop their athletic abilities by implementing an Olympic wrestling program. He received a community service award from the YMCA for establishing a Martial Arts program, The Benito Juarez-Abraham Lincoln Award for contributions to Mexican Americans in Texas and was recognized by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and The Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund.

As an active member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, Judge Marquez served in numerous elected positions and on numerous occasions lent his legal services to this organization. He supported youth programs, raised funds to award scholarships to students to further their education and was selected Outstanding Member of the El Paso LULAC organization.

Judge Marquez was instrumental initiating the 1994 Court of Inquiry to determine whether the constitutional rights of the citizens of El Paso had been denied due to possible violations of the Penal Code of Texas resulting in unfair, unequal and inadequate funding in the areas of transportation, mental health and nutrition.

He had a lifelong passion for athletics – especially wrestling and the martial arts. In his youth he wrestled in Austin under Pseudonym “Venganza Negra” (Dark Vengeance). He remained active in the martial arts and reached the rank of NIDAN (Two Degrees Black Belt) in the discipline of AIKIDO.

He married Maria de la Paz and from this union five children were born: Dr. Nancy Mays-Marquez, Mireya Angélica de la Garza-Márquez, Edward G. Márquez, Marc Matthew Márquez and Mario Alberto Márquez.

July 17, 2007