Tributes

Joseph “Joey” Allen Toro entered this world on May 6, 1994 at 12:12am at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. He was the second of four children and eldest son born to Paul and Polly Toro. Joey was a gregarious, high-energy individual and a team player. He played many sports and participated in many clubs throughout all his school years. He made life-long friends at St. Anthony Catholic School, St. Anthony Catholic High School, University of Texas Permian Basin, San Antonio College, and Sul Ross State University. Joey had a heart for service. He was involved in Boy Scouts beginning with Cub Scouts and culminating in the rank of Eagle Scout, the youngest at that time to have achieved Eagle in his troop. For many summers, he worked mainly in aquatics as a lifeguard at Scout camps in Texas and Montana. He later continued to serve his community as a police officer in Del Rio, Texas. In January of 2014, Joey survived a serious car accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was in the hospital and rehab for months, but he recovered. He was able to earn his associate’s degree in kinesiology from San Antonio College shortly thereafter. He applied to and was accepted into the Del Rio Police Department Cadet Academy in 2017. He completed his academy, but while in his first weeks as a rookie police officer, he began experiencing discomfort in his abdominal area. After a CT scan in December of that year, was found to have a tumor attached to his right hip and abdominal wall. After surgery, the tumor was tested and identified as synovial sarcoma. That was the beginning of the 9-year war he fought against cancer. He had a team of doctors in San Antonio, Houston, and, since February, Chicago, all doing their best to keep him going to participate in the next treatment, take the newest medication, or be accepted into the latest experimental trial. He had an army of prayer warriors ready to support him spiritually, and he had friends and family to support him through every procedure, issue, and setback, as well as to celebrate the good times, too. Family and friends celebrated every birthday as a milestone – another year he beat his prognosis. Joey was particularly proud of his accomplishments while a police officer. He graduated from Sul Ross State University in May of 2025 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. He also achieved the rank of Senior Patrol Officer before he had to medically retire this January from the force. The Del Rio Police Department was very good to him, and helped Joey continue to work and keep his benefits in a desk capacity while he was in or recovering from treatment. In 2024, Joey considered himself fortunate to meet Andrea. They had the luxury of technology and social media to be able to kindle and cultivate their long-distance relationship between Sendai, Japan and Texas. They were modern ”pen pals” for almost a year. Then he went to meet her in person after his graduation from Sul Ross. They really hit it off and, over the Christmas holidays, Andrea came to visit him in Texas. He proposed to her before she flew back to Japan, and they made plans to start their lives together. However, while Joey was able to go to Japan and help Andrea close that chapter of her life and then meet her family in the Philippines over the Easter holidays, he started to have cancer-related symptoms towards the end of their stay in Manila. They returned to Texas and Joey started what turned out to be his last battle. Andrea stuck by his side and tried her best to comfort and care for him. Joey was determined to marry her, so a family friend who is a judge came to the hospital and married them on his birthday, with immediate family and a few close friends in attendance. His health continued to decline until it became clear that this time, he would not recover. Another family friend, a Catholic priest, received special permission to marry the couple in a church ceremony, again in the hospital, with friends and family present – fulfilling Joey’s dream having of a church wedding. He passed away two days later. Joey is survived by his wife, Andrea; paternal grandmother, Lucille Toro; uncle, Joseph D. Toro; aunts, Madie Grabda, Julia Austin and Carolyn Austin; parents, Paul and Polly; siblings, Veronica (Jorge Wong), Madeleine (Mitch Yeh) and John Paul; and numerous cousins. He is predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Craig and Lola Austin and John Griffin Allen, III; his uncle, Jack Grabda; and his paternal grandfather, Russell Toro. Services will be held June 4th and 5th. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor Joey’s memory and donate to help advance critical research efforts and future treatment options for Synovial Sarcoma patients. https://givebutter.com/in-loving-memory-of-joey-toro-ih1qmy Visitation Thursday, June 4, 2026 Mission Park Funeral Chapels South 1700 SE Military Drive San Antonio, TX 78214 Family | 4:00 - 5:00 pm Public | 5:00 - 8:00 pm Rosary | 6:30 pm Funeral Mass 10:00 am Friday, June 5, 2026 Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church 3107 N St. Mary’s Street San Antonio, TX 78212 Burial immediately following the Funeral Mass Mission Park Funeral Chapels South 1700 SE Military Drive San Antonio, TX 78214 Reception Following the Burial Luby’s | Fiesta Room 911 N Main Avenue San Antonio, TX 78212

Tributes

Joseph A. "Joey" Toro

May 6, 1994 - May 23, 2026