Ricardo Reyes (aka Papo) became an angel with family by his side on October 31, 2018 at the age of 98 in San Antonio, Texas.
He was born on April 3, 1920 in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico to Leon and Herminia Reyes. As a young man, Ricardo enjoyed life in Laredo Texas playing football, fishing in the Rio Grande river and playing baseball. He is most remembered for his skill while playing baseball with numerous teams. He was a member of the famous Laredo Texas Woodsman of the World ball club that toured Texas in the late thirties and remained undefeated. Years after returning from the war, Ricardo could be seen on weekends playing baseball in what was at that time called the Texas Brush League. He was fortunate to meet, in person, his two all-time favorite baseball players, both New York Yankees, Mickey Mantle and Joe Dimaggio, the famous Yankee Clipper.
In 1942, Ricardo was drafted into the Army after numerous attempts to join the Marines, he was too short at the time. He earned his U.S. citizenship while in the Army. He was a proud member of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, I Company, also known as the Battling Buzzards as they fought in WWII. Early in the war, during combat in Italy (June 18, 1944), Ricardo stepped on a land mine while advancing on a German position, earning him a Purple Heart. As he rose up to warn his fellow soldiers, he was shot by either a sniper or a machine gunner. For this action, Ricardo was awarded the Bronze Star. He was always heavy-hearted telling the story of his close friend, Licano, who also stepped on a land mine while walking behind him. Licano was injured worse than Ricardo so he told the medic taking care of him to go tend to Licano. Shortly after that, an 88 shell dropped on Licano and the medic. The doctors didn’t think Ricardo would make it, but after a two hour surgery and a chaplain by his side for another day, he not only survived but went on to live another 74 years.
Ricardo and his wife, Antonia, met in their twenties, after he returned from the war. They married on September 15, 1946 in San Antonio. At a young age, Ricardo worked as apprentice to a photographer, which eventually led to Ricardo and Antonia opening the first of three photography studios and eventually a bridal shop. Ricardo would photograph weddings and Antonia used her painting skills to color the photos with oil paints.
Ricardo will always be remembered by his family and friends for his big laugh, his big heart and his joking personality. He loved to fish, hunt, dance, make people laugh and drink beer, not necessarily in that order. He was always active, spending a lot of time working in his barn doing things like making hog traps, bird houses, wishing wells and trellises. Ricardo was patient and generous. He was always there to help out, if needed. But, most of all, he loved and cared for his wife. He always gave her kisses, held her hand, made sure she had eaten and he would surprise her with little gifts, maybe a candy or a ceramic bunny hiding in her garden but the biggest gift he gave her was laughter. He hunted and fished well into his nineties passing on the love of the hunt and the love of the sea to his children and their children.
Ricardo is survived by his beloved wife of 72 years, Maria Antonia Reyes, and their children Richard Jr. (Natasha), Olga (Richard) Sharer and Norma Williams. He is survived by eight grandchildren Callie Raymond, Natalie (Dan) Jamieson, Ana Reyes, Larry (Natalia) Moore, Sara Reyes, Aaron Grigsby, Clarissa (Zeke) Guajardo and Ricky (Stephanie) Reyes. He is survived by 8 great grandchildren Zeke and Elise Guajardo, Cayden and Avery Raymond, Ben and Abigail Jamieson, Tyler Moore, Ella Reyes and 2 step great grandchildren Ashley and Matthew Tedeski.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son Robert P. Reyes, granddaughter-in-law Erin Grigsby and his brothers and sisters Salvador Saul, Rodolfo Reyes, Aurora Herrera and Herminia Ybarra.
A service with full military honors will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, in San Antonio, on November 15th at 2:15 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donate to your favorite charity or take your family on a fishing trip to Port Aransas, Texas just like Ricardo did many times throughout his life.