A Boy with a Dream as Big as Texas
From Humble Beginnings
Felipe Reyna was born in Texas in 1945. His father was a migrant worker, so his family followed the harvest every year from South Texas to the Panhandle. Although he was not an educated man, Felipe’s father knew that if his children were to escape a life of poverty, they must pursue their educations.
Felipe, the oldest of five children, not only became the first person in his family to graduate from high school, he was also the valedictorian of his class. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University in 1968 and a Juris Doctorate Degree in Law from Baylor Law School in 1972. To pay his way through law school, Felipe took a full-time job as a clerk and janitor for the 10 th Court of Appeals cleaning the courtroom, the justice’s chambers and the bar association library.
After hours, he would take his books into the courtroom to study for class and dream about one day serving as a justice. After law school, Felipe worked as a criminal prosecutor and, in 1977, was appointed as the McLennan County Criminal District Attorney. A year later, he was elected to serve a four-year term in the same office. In 1983, Felipe and his wife, Cheryl, founded the firm Reyna & Reyna, P.C. where he practiced law until late 2003, when his dream finally came true, and he was appointed to the 10 th Court of Appeals by Governor Rick Perry. On March 9, 2004, Justice Reyna won the Republican Primary nomination, in a contested primary. On November 2, 2004 in the General Election, Justice Reyna was elected to a six year term, by an overwhelming vote, over his opponent.
Justice Reyna is married to the former Cheryl Elizabeth Ivy from Conroe, and they now reside in Lorena. They have four (4) sons: Darin Brock; Steve Brock, Daniel Reyna, and Abel Reyna; and five (5) grandsons.
They are members of the United Methodist Church in Lorena.
Justice Reyna served in the United States Naval Reserve from April 1963 until April 1969 when he received his Honorable Discharge.
Chamber Staff:
- Staff Attorney
- E. Alan Bennett
Updated: 09-Sep-2010
