Jose Antonio Ortiz

JOSE ANTONIO ORTIZ passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, surrounded by his family at his home in Brownsville. Tony was born in Pendueles, Spain on June 28, 1918, the third of three sons born to Anita and Ricardo Ortiz.

He was raised in northern Spain, where he met his greatest love and life partner, Marta, and was married in Santander, Spain on Sept. 4, 1950 where they resided. In 1951 Tony and his brother, Miguel, moved their families to Matamoros, Mexico to join their mother and older brother. There, along with his brothers, developed a successful farming business in south Texas and Mexico. He received numerous awards for excellence in farming. He was particularly proud of an award presented to him by then Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo for achieving the highest cotton yield in the state of Tamaulipas during the 1979-1980 season.

Tonys business acumen, honesty and friendly caring nature earned him the respect and admiration of countless contemporaries. His advice and counsel was treasured by many business associates, and he became one of the early Directors of Banco Comerrmex in Matamoros and Pan American Bank in Brownsville. Tony will best be remembered for his enduring loyalty to family and friends with whom he traveled extensively. He loved to hunt, and was a member of the Club Unido de Perdidos skeet shooting club. He had a passion for horses, Spanish food and wine, classical music, art and architecture. He built a beautiful home in Brownsville, where he loved to entertain his friends, and host large family gatherings with Marta and their children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ricardo and sister-in-law Carmen Ortiz. He is survived by his wife Marta, brother Miguel Ortiz, sister-in law Mari Ortiz, his four children and their spouses, Marti and Ken Schaefer, Jose Ortiz, Ana and Jose Machado and Belinda and DeWitt Gayle, and twelve grandchildren: Kenton, Juan and wife Stephanie, Nico and Edward Schaefer; Rebeca, Jose Antonio III and Wayo Ortiz; Ana Teresa, Guillermo and Carlos Machado; and Nico and Kosta Gayle.

Rosary on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 4:00pm, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 602 E. Elizabeth St., Brownsville, TX.

Mass on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 4:00pm, Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

His strength of character and quiet, gentle nature endured as he struggled with Alzheimers. Through it all he retained the grace, composure and happiness that endeared him to so many.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alzheimers Association of Texas, 222 E. Van Buren 303, Harlingen, TX 78550.

Mr. Ortizs family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to Valley Angels Home Health, Odyssey Healthcare of South Texas and especially to Sylvia de la Garza, for their wonderful and loving care.

Service

Memorial Contributions