{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Frank Mariano Tejeda | image = Frank M Tejeda.jpg | caption = | state = Texas | district = 28th | term = January 3, 1993 – January 30, 1997 | preceded = ''District established'' | succeeded = Ciro Rodriguez | office2 = Member of the Texas State Senate from District 19 | term_start2 = January 13, 1987 | term_end2 = January 3, 1993 | predecessor2 = Glenn Kothmann | successor2 = Gregory Luna | office3 = Member of the Texas House of Representatives | term_start3 = January 11, 1977 | term_end3 = January 13, 1987 | predecessor3 = Tony Dramberger | successor3 = Ciro Rodriguez | constituency3 = 118th district (1983-87)<br />District 57-B (1977-83) | birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|10|2|mf=y}} | birth_place = San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age |1997|1|30|1945|10|2}} | death_place = San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | resting_place = Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio | spouse = Cecilia Tejeda (divorced)<ref name = Thomas>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/02/us/frank-tejeda-51-congressman-from-texas-and-former-marine.html|title = Frank Tejeda, 51, Congressman From Texas and Former Marine|last = Thomas|first = Robert McG. Jr.|authorlink = Robert McG. Thomas Jr.|date = February 2, 1997|accessdate = December 3, 2025|page = 39|newspaper = The New York Times|url-access = limited}}</ref> | children = 3 (2 daughters, 1 son) | profession = Lawyer | alma_mater = {{ubl|St. Mary's University (BA)|UC Berkeley School of Law (JD)|Harvard University (MA)|Yale Law School (LLM)}} | party = Democratic | branch = United States Marine Corps | service_years = 1963-1967 (active) 1967-1997 (reserve) | battles = Vietnam War | rank = Major | mawards = {{ubl|Silver Star|Bronze Star Medal|Purple Heart}} }} '''Frank Mariano Tejeda''' (October 2, 1945 – January 30, 1997) was an American Democratic politician from Texas. A native of San Antonio, he served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and upon returning to Texas, went into politics. He served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1976 to 1987, in the Texas Senate from 1987 to 1993, and finally in the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 28th congressional district from 1993 until his death.
==Biography== Frank M. Tejeda was born in San Antonio, Texas, on October 2, 1945.<ref name = Bio>{{congbio|id = T000113|inline = yes}}</ref> He attended St. Leo's Catholic School and Harlandale High School.<ref name = Tribe>{{cite news|url = https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/tejeda-frank-mariano-jr|title = Frank Tejeda: A Legacy of Service and Leadership|last = Tribe|first = Henry Franklin|date = February 11, 2014|work = Texas State Historical Association|accessdate = December 3, 2025}}</ref>
He grew up in an impoverished household, and had a difficult youth, in which he joined a gang as a teenager.<ref name = Thomas/> After dropping out of high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps, a decision that he said turned his life around.<ref name = Tribe/> He was wounded in action during the Vietnam War (1963–1967).<ref name = Bio/> He was decorated for valor with the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart.<ref name=TejedaClinic>{{cite web|access-date=April 17, 2007|url=http://www.vasthcs.med.va.gov/scd/tejeda.htm|title=Frank M. Tejeda|publisher=Frank M. Tejeda VA Outpatient Clinic, United States Department of Veterans Affairs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309173306/http://www.vasthcs.med.va.gov/scd/tejeda.htm|archive-date=March 9, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> During this time, he resumed his education and passed the General Educational Development test.<ref name = Tribe/> Tejeda reached the rank of major in the Marine Corps Reserve.<ref name=TejedaAward>{{cite web |access-date = April 17, 2007 |url = http://www.usafns.com/gunnersblog/2005_03_01_archive.htm |title = Jones Honored by the Marine Corps Reserve Association |date = March 17, 2005 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071008122144/http://www.usafns.com/gunnersblog/2005_03_01_archive.htm |archive-date = October 8, 2007 }}</ref>
After his Marine Corps service, he earned his bachelor's degree in 1970 from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, and his J.D. in 1974 from University of California, Berkeley Law School.<ref name = Bio/>
Inspired by the legacy of the Great Society, Tejeda began his political career in the Texas Legislature.<ref name = Tribe/> He served in the Texas House from 1976 to 1987, and then in the Texas Senate from 1987 to 1993. While serving in the legislature, he earned two master's degrees — in 1980, he received an M.A. from Harvard University, and in 1989, an LL.M. from Yale Law School.<ref name = Bio/>
Tejeda was elected with 87% of the votes to the U.S. Congress in 1992, representing the 28th Congressional District of Texas. Notably, serving on the Armed Services Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee, his work in the Congress focused on veterans' issues. He was known as a conservative Democrat.<ref name = Tribe/>
On January 30, 1997, shortly after the beginning of his third term, Congressman Tejeda died in San Antonio from pneumonia at the age of 51, after a year-long battle with brain cancer.<ref name = Thomas/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/congress/tejeda.html|title = Hispanic Americans in Congress -- Tejeda| website=Library of Congress }}</ref> He was buried with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.<ref name = Bio/>
==Namesakes== *On September 1, 1997, U.S. Highway 281 from Interstate 410 to the Atascosa/Bexar county line was named "Congressman Frank M. Tejeda Memorial Highway" by the Texas Legislature<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.dot.state.tx.us/tpp/hwy/memorialhwy.htm |title = Texas Memorial Highway System |publisher = Texas Department of Transportation |access-date = November 16, 2007}} The reference erroneously lists the northern bound of the memorial highway as [http://www.dot.state.tx.us/tpp/hwy/sl/sl0410.htm Loop 410] which has not existed in Bexar County since 1969, or anywhere else in the state since 1991.</ref> *A charter high school with his name, Frank Tejeda Academy, in the Harlandale Independent School District in San Antonio, the same district in which he lived and from which he graduated. *The Frank M. Tejeda Post Office Building in San Antonio, dedicated in 1997.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://capitolwords.org/date/1997/02/05/H292-3_frank-m-tejeda-post-office-building/ |title=Frank M. Tejeda Post Office Building | Capitol Words |access-date=January 28, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140128160813/http://capitolwords.org/date/1997/02/05/H292-3_frank-m-tejeda-post-office-building/ |archive-date=January 28, 2014 }}</ref> *The VA outpatient clinic in San Antonio was posthumously named in his honor. *Frank Tejeda Estates, a housing development at Lackland Air Force Base. *Frank Tejeda Middle School in the North East Independent School District in San Antonio was posthumously named in his honor. *Division Park in the City of San Antonio was renamed Frank Tejeda Park in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sanantonio.gov/parksandrec/directory_tejeda.aspx|title = The City of San Antonio - Official City Website > ParksAndRec > Home}}</ref> *The Texas State Veterans Home in Floresville, Texas is named in memory of Rep. Tejeda. *After his death, the Marine Corps Reserve Association created the ''Major Frank M. Tejeda Leadership Award'' to recognize leaders committed to the Marine Corps.<ref name=TejedaAward/>
==See also== {{Portal|Biography}} *List of notable brain tumor patients *List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress *List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1950–1999)
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== *{{cite web|access-date=April 17, 2007|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=T000113 |title=TEJEDA, Frank Mariano, (1945–1997) — Biographical Information |work=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress}}
*{{cite web|access-date=April 17, 2007|url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/congress/tejeda.html |title=Frank M. Tejeda |work=Hispanic Americans in Congress from 1822 to 1995 |publisher=Library of Congress}}
*{{cite web |access-date = April 17, 2007 |url = http://www.tejedacenter.com/index.aspx?page=1049 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041106050013/http://www.tejedacenter.com/index.aspx?page=1049 |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 6, 2004 |title = Frank M. Tejeda Biography |publisher = The Frank M. Tejeda Center for Excellence in Environmental Operations }}
*{{cite web|access-date=April 17, 2007|url=https://www.houstonculture.org/hispanic/tejano4.html |title="Sixty-Fifth Session (1977–1978)" in The Tejano Struggle for Representation |author=John P. Schmal |work=The Hispanic Experience: Hispanics in Government}}
==External links== *{{cite web |access-date = April 17, 2007 |url = http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/t000113/votes/ |title = Votes by Frank Tejeda |work = The U.S. Congress Votes Database |publisher = The Washington Post |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080724143850/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/t000113/votes/ |archive-date = July 24, 2008 }} *{{C-SPAN|29612}}
{{S-start}} {{S-par|us-tx-hs}} {{TXHouseSuccession box |district = 57 |subdistrict = B |hometown = San Antonio |before=A. L. "Tony" Dramberger |after = Inactive district |years=1977–1983 }} {{TXHouseSuccession box |district = 118 |hometown = San Antonio |before= Inactive district |after=Ciro D. Rodriguez |years=1983–1987 }} {{S-par|us-tx-sen}} {{s-bef | before= Glenn Kothmann}} {{s-ttl | title= Texas State Senator<br />from District 19 (San Antonio) | years= 1987–1993 }} {{s-aft | rows=1 | after=Gregory Luna }} {{S-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box |state = Texas |district = 28 |before=District created following 1990 census |after=Ciro D. Rodriguez |years=1993–1997 }} {{S-end}} {{USCongRep-start|congresses= 103rd–105th United States Congress |state=Texas}} {{USCongRep/TX/103}} {{USCongRep/TX/104}} {{USCongRep/TX/105}} {{USCongRep-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tejeda, Frank M.}} Category:1945 births Category:1997 deaths Category:20th-century United States representatives Category:20th-century members of the Texas Legislature Category:Burials at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Category:Deaths from brain cancer in Texas Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Texas Category:Democratic Party Texas state senators Category:Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Texas Category:Harlandale High School alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Texas Category:Military personnel from San Antonio Category:Recipients of the Silver Star Category:St. Mary's University, Texas alumni Category:UC Berkeley School of Law alumni Category:United States Marine Corps officers Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War Category:United States Marine Corps reservists Category:Yale Law School alumni