R.A. Torres

R. A. (Bob) Torres peacefully left this Earth to be with his Lord on Sunday, November 29, 2015 at his home. In prior days he had gone through extensive heart surgeries as he suffered from an extremely weak heart.
A Brownsville native, Robert, affectionately called Bob or Bobby most of his life, was born on July 25, 1934, to a pioneer South Texas family. His father Antonio (Tony) Torres and mother Beatrice (Biddy) Valent Torres, brother R. ‘Tony' Torres, sister in law Bertha Mayorga Garza, all deceased.
Bob was the husband of his ‘love of his life' wife, Rachel G. Torres for the past 58 years. The couple had one son, R. A. (Bob) Torres, Jr. of Brownsville and daughter Christine Torres Rodriguez, son in law David Rodriguez, daughter in law, Natalie Herfindahl Torres and three beautiful loves of his life grandsons: James David (Jamie), Robert Christopher (Robbie), and Michael Alexander Rodriguez, all living in Austin, TX. Other relatives include a brother in law, Raul I. Garza, nieces Cynthia Garza Galvan, Erica Garza, cousins Lita Ortiz, Mary Lou Gonzalez, Dr. Ciro Sumaya, Judith Plata Guerra, Ana, Olivia, Steven and Faith Recio, the Barrientes families from Port Isabel and Brownsville as well as the Valent-Lieck families.
Bob was a 1952 honor graduate of Brownsville high School and was awarded the coveted Harry P. Roberts Memorial Award as the outstanding graduate speech student. He became the first Brownsville student to receive the state championship in Texas Interscholastic League competition High School Boys Declamation at the University of Texas in May of 1952. Upon graduation, he attended Texas Southmost College in Brownsville and Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos where he majored in Speech and minored in English. University activities included member of the award winning University Debate Team, soloist in the University Acapella Choir, Drama Club and R.O.T.C. Civic Affairs included: President of Brownsville Jaycees; President of Mr. Amigo Association; Vice President of Texas Jaycees. Served on the Board of Directors of multiple organizations: Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, North Brownsville Kiwanis Club initiating several local parks, La Esperanza Home for Boys, Villa Bethany Home for Girls, Salvation Army, American Heart Assn., Brownsville Boys Club and Charro Days. He served as chairman of both the International and Convention Committees of the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. He also served as a member of the International Good Neighbor Council, Intercambio and the Propeller Club. Religious activities were multiple: He served on the building committees of St. Mary's and St. Luke's as well first lector at both, and Vice President of the Parish Advisory Council. At Sacred Heart Church, he thoroughly enjoyed and reverently served as lector right up until days before his death for a total of 56 years. Other civic honors included: three time nominee for Outstanding Young Man of Brownsville; Brownsville's Boss of the Year in 1972; Jaycee of the Year in 1967; Outstanding Local Director in the Texas Jaycee State Convention in 1967; Outstanding Local Director in the Texas Jaycee State Convention in 1967. Selected by the student body as the outstanding Faculty Member at the University of Houston Hotel-Motel Short Course in 1967; in 1968 was winner of the Communications Trophy awarded at the University of Houston. Was recognized in the following publications: 1972 volume of "Outstanding Young Men of America"; 1973 volume of "Personalities of the South"; 1974 volume of "Who's Who in Texas." An active in local musical and community theatre affairs. Leading roles were: "Fiddler on the Roof", "Cabaret" and "Best Little Whorehouse of Texas". Served as Master of Ceremonies of the Miss Rio Grande Valley Pageant and the St. Joseph's Academy Style Show as well as participated in the Junior Service League's Follies for a period of over twenty-five years. Was professor for the American College of Real Estate for 4 years and a leading realtor of at least 30 years of his life. President of Gallery of Homes and later Realtor of Merit and licensed thru Texas Association of Realtors, outstanding realtor of the State of Texas and Brownsville for over 30 years. In 1986, he and a close Laredo friend, Jose "Pepe" Treviño, formed the G.M.S. Waste Disposal Company, now a subsidiary of the Laredo company that continues to operate the commercial waste collection operation for the City of Brownsville. Torres was involved in several Texas and local Democratic election campaigns and ran for City Commissioner in 1973.
He started a 60-yr love affair with the land of his ancestry with his active 4-year participation in the Pan American Student Forum, a high school organization dedicated to promoting international understanding and respect between Mexico, the land of his fathers, and his United States. Between 1953 and 1955 while a student at Texas Southmost College he again demonstrated his love of Mexico and its culture by assuming, along with other fellow students, key leadership roles in two culturally significant projects. He participated in "Asi Es Mexico", Las Posadas Navideñas, local KBOR Radio and for several years appeared on nationwide TV in Mexico serving as Brownsville's spokesman for the annual Mr. Amigo presentations. In 1963, Bob, a founding member of the Mr. Amigo Association, was involved in the planning and staging of the very first Mr. Amigo Award and Celebration on October 12, 1964, where former Mexican President, Miguel Alemán, became the first of the 50 some Mr. Amigos. By 1966, Torres was elected to serve on the board of directors where his major activity was soliciting and gaining financial support from the community. In 1970, he was elected Vice President of Mr. Amigo and served as master of ceremonies at many Mr. Amigo events that followed. In 1971, Torres was elected the first Mexican American to serve as the 8th President of the Mr. Amigo Association honoring the first Mr. Amigo recipient, Lic. Alejandro Garza Laguera, president of the world renown Cerveceria Cuahtemoc. In 1972, he was elected for the first time as the chairman of the important Mr. Amigo selection committee. Since that initial chairman election, he has served as either chairman or member of this most important committee and been involved in the selection of over 30 Mr. Amigos. In 1974, with the naming of Raul Velasco of the ‘Siempre en Domingo TV Show' as Mr. Amigo, Bob and his wife developed a deep and personal friendship which was to last for decades with Velasco and his wife Dorle as well as the show's producer Raul Lozano and his wife, Alicia. Starting in 1974, Torres in conjunction with Brownsville Chamber of Commerce Exec. Vice Pres, Steve Bosio, coordinated the Live TV appearance of a Brownsville Matamoros Delegation involving the ON AIR announcement of the Mr. Amigo selection and the subsequent Brownsville coverages of the Mr. Amigo festivities by Televisa Film crews airing several hours each year of Charro Days, Mr. Amigo, Fiestas Mexicanas to an average TV audience in excess of one hundred million viewers in over 20 different countries. In both Mexico City events as well as the TV shows emanating from Brownsville-Matamoros, Torres served a key role utilizing his bilingual skills as master of ceremonies and/or TV.
Other international accomplishments included Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, Chairman and/or member of International Committee for 25 years by staging or anticipating in a myriad of trade shows meetings-exhibits and trips of international relations importance. While in the Jaycees, Torres along with fellow Jaycees, was instrumental in establishing the Camara Junior Chapters in Matamoros and Valle Hermoso. He also was successful in gaining the Inter-American Forum held in Brownsville in 1970 involving all Camara Junior Chapters in Mexico and all Jaycee Chapters in Texas. Since 1963, Bob and wife Rachel have been involved in supporting and working with every single American Consul and staff in Matamoros and their counter-parts representing Mexico in Brownsville.
At the birth of the Maquiladora Industry in the late 1960's and early 1970's Bob and Rachel were deeply involved in the birth of the Maquiladora Twin Plant industry by volunteering to provide complimentary translation services of dozens of documents utilized in their creation and establishment, such as Labor Union contracts, articles of incorporation, official minutes of key organizations, board meetings from Spanish to English and English to Spanish. These projects were carried after business hours that were crucial in the successful launching of many of the pioneer Brownsville/Matamoros maquiladoras and their positive lasting impact on the area's economy. While serving as Assistant-Manager and Director of Sales of the Fort Brown Hotel from 1965 to 1970, Torres and his wife traveled to Guadalajara and Monterrey and were successful in their appearance before the National Board of the Sembradores de Amistad by gaining the 1971 National Convention for Matamoros. He remained in the local chapter. Bob served on the Charro Days Fiesta Board of Directors from 1964 thru the early 70's and led multiple committees to its fruition. Both realized how important this festival was to the Brownsville and Matamoros communities. They both realized and have done extraordinary accomplishments to bring this festival known to millions of persons all over the globe. Both have received the Ohtli Award, the highest award given by Mexico's government to a non-Mexican citizen. They were honored and named by Charro Days, Inc. Grand Parade Marshals of the 2015 Charro Days Parade.
Funeral services are under the direction of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd. in Brownsville. Visitation hours will be held at the funeral home Wednesday, December 2nd from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and rosary will be held at Sacred Heart Church at 6 p.m. the same day. On Thursday December 3rd, a funeral mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church starting at 10:30 a.m. A private burial will be held at a later date.
Pall Bearers will be Bobby Balli, Eddy Hernandez, Jr., Mike Maldonado, Greg Melendez, Federal Judge Rolando Olvera, Michael Rivera, Robert Christopher (Robbie) Rodriguez, and Emilio Sanchez. Honorary Pall Bearers will be Jim Alford, Mike Bennett, Henry Cantu, Eduardo (Wayo) Cavazos,John G. Champion, Vince Crixell, Bobby Denty, Ambassador Tony Garza (Ret.), Raul I. Garza, former Mayor Henry Gonzalez, Abel Hinojosa, Raymond Hinojosa, Kenny Lieck, Dr. Ford Lockett, Arturo (Art) Melendez, former County Clerk Joe G. Rivera, David Rodriguez, Arnoldo Villarreal, members of his 30+yrs coffee club and Sembradores Unidos.
Charitable contributions can be made to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Restoration Fund in his memory.

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Visitation

DarlingMouser Funeral Home
945 Palm Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78520
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Service

Rosary

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
602 E. Elizabeth
Brownsville, TX  78520
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
6:00 p.m.

Funeral Mass

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
602 E. Elizabeth
Brownsville, TX  78520
Thursday, December 3, 2015
10:30 a.m.

Cemetery

Val Verde Memorial Gardens Crematory
Donna, TX  78537

Memorial Contributions

Immaculate Conception Cathedral Restoration Fund
1218 E. Jefferson St.
Brownsville, TX  78520