Luna was born to Eliseo and Elvira Luna in New Braunfels, Texas,[4] the youngest of their eight children.[5] When Gregory was seven months old, Eliseo Luna died and, shortly afterward, the family moved to San Antonio.Also brother of Federico Luna a civil rights activist in New Braunfels who fought discrimination in the 1940s[6] While growing up, Luna worked as a restaurant bus boy, a grocery-store sacker and in the mailroom at the San Antonio Express.[7]
At 21, after attending San Antonio College briefly,[8] Luna enlisted in the United States Army and served a short stint, advancing to the rank of corporal.[9] After his service, he joined the San Antonio Police Department. While an officer, Luna attended night classes and graduated from Trinity University with a Bachelor of Arts in math and St. Mary's University School of Law with a law degree. While an officer, Luna also helped train police officers in Venezuela as part of a U.S. government program. Luna began his law career as a prosecutor for the City of San Antonio, and opened a started a private law practice in 1968.[10]
Luna married Helen Garcia 21 August 1955 and had two sons and two daughters.[11]
Political career
In 1969, Luna unsuccessfully ran for Justice of the Peace in Bexar County.[12] In 1982, he ran for the District 116 Texas House seat, losing to Joe A. Gamez in the Democratic Party primary election.[13] In 1984, Luna sought the same House seat again, this time successfully. He represented San Antonio from 1985 to 1993 in the Texas House.
A Democratic redistricting plan (which also altered district numbering) necessitated all state senators to run for reelection in 1994,[15] and as a result, Luna faced an unsuccessful challenge from Republican Andrew Longaker for the remaining two years of his term, this time in District 26.[16] In 1996, Luna again fended off a challenge from Longaker, this time for a four-year term.[17]
Luna missed most of the regular session of the 76th Legislature due to ill health. He was ailing from complications related to diabetes, which eventually required the amputation of both his legs.[18] Citing his ill health, Luna resigned his senate seat on 24 September 1999.[19] Luna died peacefully after midnight 6 November 1999 at a hospice inpatient center in San Antonio, where he had been for three weeks.[20] He was buried in the Texas State Cemetery on 9 November 1999.[21]
Luna is honored by the Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council through the Senator Gregory Luna Legislative Scholar and Fellows Program which places college students with members of the Texas Senate to gain leadership experience.[22]
^Texas Senate News: Sen. Luna rests among legends. 9 November 1999. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-02-17. Retrieved 2006-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006).
^The Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council bio ("Texas Senate Hispanic Research Council - Austin, Texas". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2006-11-27.) states Luna lost the election. Gamez served one term as a Democrat, so Luna most likely lost in the Democratic primary.
^Office of the Secretary of State. 1992 General Election. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2006-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006)
^Office of the Secretary of State. 1994 General Election. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2006-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006)
^Office of the Secretary of State. 1996 General Election. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2006-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006)
^Texas Senate News: Texas Senator Gregory Luna Resigns. 24 September 1999. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-02-17. Retrieved 2006-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006.)
^Texas Senate News: Sen. Luna rests among legends. 9 November 1999. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-02-17. Retrieved 2006-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006).
^Office of the Secretary of State. 1996 General Election. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2006-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006)
^Office of the Secretary of State. 1994 General Election. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2006-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006)
^Luna was the District 19 incumbent prior to the 1994 Senate redistricting.
^Office of the Secretary of State. 1992 General Election. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2006-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (accessed 27 November 2006)
