MARIO REYES

Mario Reyes, 62, of Spring died November 5 at Houston Methodist Hospital, TMC. Present were his wife Rebecca Reyes and his friend Rolando Diaz. He was born February 29, 1960 to George Reyes and Dolores Rios in Grimes County.

Mario is preceded in death by his son George M. Reyes and his father George Reyes.

He is survived by his wife Rebecca and mother Dolores Rios; children, Bertha, Jennifer, and Miguel Reyes; stepchildren, Chris and Claire Hall; grandchildren, Deyanira, Georgena, and Jose Vela; and Aubrey Joseph; two stepgrandsons, Lucas and Timothy Hall; one great-granddaughter, Ali’ana McDade; four half-siblings, Marcus Montes and wife Regina, Linda Gonzales and husband Raymond, Emily and Filiberto Reyes; and numerous other relatives, the closest being “Cuz” John Garza. Mario will be missed by his many friends and family in Beaumont, Houston, Livingston, Lubbock, Navasota and Spring.

Mario was quick to tell everyone that he dropped out of school in the ninth grade, left home, and supported himself working as a dishwasher, then waiter, at a local Mexican

REYES

restaurant in Beaumont. But his ambitions led him to other opportunities: chicken transporter, road builder (Hwy 6, and later GP 99), house roofer (he’d point out houses in Navasota).

After the birth of his children, he knew a more stable income was needed, so he received his GED, and then became certified as a Medical Assistant, working in Bryan/ College Station. The love for the medical field soon spurred him to receive his A.A.S degree in Respiratory Care, and in 1992 he became a Certified Respiratory Care Technician.

He worked in over a dozen hospitals in the Houston and Bryan/College Station area until 2010. In 2011 he started working for Lincare as a homehealth respiratory therapist. After his second major surgery he became a stay at home husband, but never stopped doing the things he found enjoyable: tinkering with cars, handy man jobs around the house, and assisting all his friends with their projects, mostly by saying how it should be done. The chancel of St Matthew’s Church was re-configured with the help of “Cuz” and the men of SMLC. Mario’s fourth surgery in 2019 resulted in the loss of his leg, but not his spirit. He still connected with family and friends, through phone calls and visits, most memorable his 60th birthday complete with mariachis.

Mario held onto his faith in Jesus Christ, recalling how his dad would take him to the Catholic church as a child, and the bus rides to the Baptist church. But it was in 1997 that Mario became confirmed as a LCMS Lutheran. After he read through the entire Bible, he was eager to share his insight with friends, giving them Bibles to read. Christ’s love and strength continue to hold Mario to this day, and sooner then we think, we will join him in the eternal Feast of the Lamb.

Memorial service was held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, November 12, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Westfield. Interment to follow at a later date at Oakwood Cemetery in Navasota.