- Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 61-Senators Coffin, Adler, Augustine, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, O'Connell, O'Donnell, Porter, Raggio, Rawson, Regan, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener
FILE NUMBER
138
- SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION--Memorializing Joseph and Mary Blasco, long-time residents of Las Vegas.
Whereas, It was with profound sorrow that the members of the Nevada Legislature learned of the deaths of Joseph Blasco in January 1994, and his wife, Mary, who preceded him in death in December 1992; and
Whereas, Joseph Blasco was born on June 17, 1913, in Zaragoza, Spain; and
Whereas, When Joseph Blasco was 5 years old, his family, which included his parents, four brothers and a sister, moved to the United States and settled in Ohio; and
Whereas, In 1930, Joseph Blasco's family moved to California where Joseph met and married the former Mary Guasti in 1938, and over the years they raised their five children, Maria, José, Susan, Angela and Jim; and
Whereas, After establishing a successful contracting career in California that included contracts to work on the Los Angeles County Flood Control, Douglas Air Force Base in San Pedro, Friant-Kern Canal from Fresno to Bakersfield and bomber runways at March Air Force Base, Joseph and Mary Blasco moved to Las Vegas in 1952 when he was awarded the contract to supply concrete for the Nellis Ammunition Depot; and
Whereas, Joseph Blasco's contracting business in Nevada grew rapidly and included working for the Atomic Energy Commission for 3 years at Yucca Flats and later building apartments, warehouses, shopping centers, subdivisions and mobile home parks in the Las Vegas area; and
Whereas, During these years, Mary Blasco's life revolved around raising their children; and
Whereas, Joseph Blasco's lifetime dream became a reality in 1983 with the completion of the Spanish Trail Community, a planned community of homes and condominiums surrounded by one of the most beautiful golf courses in the United States for which he was instrumental in guiding the development, with the help of his children and their spouses; and
Whereas, Joseph and Mary Blasco were greatly involved in the building of St. Anne's school and church, the Bishop Gorman High School and the Christ the King Church; and
Whereas, Joseph and Mary Blasco were large donors to the City of Hope, and in 1985 they donated their house to the UNLV Foundation to be used as the residence for the president of the university; and
Whereas, Joseph Blasco was a highly respected civic leader who chaired the Clark County Planning Commission, was a former Clark County Grand Jury Foreman and was a founding board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, and in the early 1960's, he was appointed a special assistant to Governor Laxalt; and
Whereas, Joseph and Mary Blasco were committed to helping persons with disabilities, and their philanthropic efforts were greatly appreciated in 1989 when they donated money to the State of Nevada to build a residential treatment unit for autistic children, dedicated as the Joseph and Mary Blasco Diagnostic Center in honor of their generosity; and
Whereas, Joseph and Mary Blasco also donated the money to establish the Nevada Association for the Handicapped Nursery Training Center, which was Nevada's first training center for disabled persons supported entirely by retail nursery sales; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly Concurring, That the members of the Nevada Legislature express their sincere condolences to the family of Joseph and Mary Blasco; and be it further
Resolved, That Joseph and Mary Blasco will long be remembered for their service, contributions, achievements and generosity on behalf of the residents of the State of Nevada; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to Joseph and Mary Blasco's children, sons, José and James and daughters, Maria Quirk, Susan Sarret and Angela Becker, all of Las Vegas.
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