Tributes

Jorge “George” Sanchez entered into his eternal rest on Sunday, November 22, 2020. He was born to Manuela Meza Sanchez and Valentin R. Sanchez on February 21, 1927 in Mirando City, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife, Brijida, as well as his sister Ramona, and brothers Humberto, and Rogelio. George spent most of his early life in Mirando City. He grew up learning much about life in the oil fields since most in the city worked for Killam Oil & Gas Company. His father was a truck driver for the company. His uncles, cousins and childhood friends all worked there as well. Even though he’d later move away from Mirando City, his heart and soul seemed to have never left. He always spoke of his memories from there with fondness and love. His family eventually moved to Laredo, Texas. There he attended San Augustine High School where he met his future wife, Brijida. He was drafted into the Army after graduation in 1945. He was assigned to Fort Leavensworth in Kansas as a clerk typist. There he was able to utilize his bilingual skills as needed. He often told the story of how as a South Texas youth he was thrilled to experience the first snowfall in his life while in Kansas. He laughed when remembering how he ran out of the barracks to frolic in the first snow he had ever seen. In his haste he failed to realize the wooden steps were iced over. The south Texas youth slipped and fell squarely on his backside. A little more than his pride was injured in the fall. Later in the day at his office duties, his Sargent took pity on his obvious discomfort and offered him a plush pillow to use in his chair. The military offered him technical school training upon being discharged from the Army. He had wanted to attend training to become a cabinet maker. But the classes were filled. He opted for welding school and fell in love with the trade. He married Brijida and they moved back to Mirando City where he too accepted employment with Killam Oil & Gas Company. He started as a Roustabout, being the lowest level job one can have in the oil fields and worked his way up to the job ladder. He used his welding skills on everything from assembly jigs to welding drilling pipe collars on the drilling platforms. He eventually became a truck driver for the company which gave him the most pleasure he could imagine as it allowed him to mimic his father in that trade. George realized that after his first child was born, he should look beyond the oil fields of Texas to establish a more stable life for his family. He moved his small family to San Antonio, Texas where he found employment with Pak-Mor Mfg company as a welder. He rose in the ranks to eventually become a production line foreman. He retired there after 30+ years and ultimately went back to his dream job of truck driver delivering trucks for Pak-Mor as a contractor. George loved deer hunting and all that it entails. He would take his sons and grandchildren along to experience his love of the sport and the outdoors whenever possible. He cherished those memories with his loved ones the most. He encouraged his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in any sport or school activity they chose to pursue. He and Brijida would travel annually to Oklahoma and Louisiana to watch their grandchildren play baseball and softball for example. George even in his 90’s would ask to be taken to Austin area to watch his great-grandson, Linus, play baseball. George loved to design and build things out of wood or metal to whatever specifications were needed. He was somewhat of an artist at drawing what a project should look like. He would then set out to build for example a rod-iron security fence around his cousin’s carport, a pitching machine for his grandchildren, multiple hunting cabins for deer leases as well as kitchen and bathroom renovations he did for friends and family. Much of this ingenuity was passed on by example to his children and grandchildren. So that part of his legacy will live on. George is survived by his sister, Frances Ramirez, sons Jerry (Nelda), Valentin, and Richard (Linda) Sanchez, and daughter Mary Ortiz. Grandchildren Monica, Drs. Michael (April), Sanchez, Christopher (Lisa), Meagan Ortiz, Adrianna (Rudy) Castillo, John Paul, Taylor, (Gwen), Eric Sanchez. Great-Grandchildren Linus, Andrew, Catherine, Gabrielle, Joseph Sanchez, Damian, Chloe, Kayla and Michael Ortiz, Madison Rodriguez and McKenna Castillo, Liliana and Raiden Rivera, Gavin Gabriella, Noah, Olivia and Greyson Sanchez.

Tributes

Mr. George Sanchez

February 21, 1927 - November 22, 2020