Mario I. Valencia

Mario will always be remembered as a running pioneer. Over the past 35 years he was involved with the San Antonio RoadRunners as a runner, volunteer, and the race director for the WinterWinds Endurathon. Among his many achievements, he completed 52 marathons: throughout Texas, New York City, Boston, London, and Paris. His personal record of 3:18 came at age 53 in the Houston Marathon. He inspired many new runners with his love of the sport.

Mario worked at Kelly AFB and served his county on assignment to Chile in 1967, and to Vietnam in The USAF Division of the Defense Attache Office as a civilian logistics adviser and liaison officer in 1974. He was evacuated from Vietnam shortly before the fall of Saigon in April 1975. Continuing his career at Kelly, Mario retired as a Branch Chief in the Logistics Division after 38 years.

Of his many accomplishments, Mario was proudest of his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Antonio and Inez Valencia, and beloved daughter Monica and her husband Paul. Mario married the love of his life Anita Valencia in 1955; they shared 59 beautiful years together. He is also survived by his loving children, Marisa (fiancé, Scott), Esther (husband, Andrew), James (wife, Tara), and Robert (partner, Erin); his grandchildren, Mariel, Sarah, Julian, and Antonio; and dearest friends, Chuck Campbell and Danny Westmoreland.

A visitation and rosary will be held Saturday March 7th from 3:00 until 5:00pm at Roy Akers Funeral Home, 515 N Main Ave, San Antonio, TX. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the San Antonio RoadRunners (SARR) for the 'Mario Valencia Scholarship Fund', supporting deserving high school track athletes. Please mail donations to: SARR, P.O. Box 12474, San Antonio TX, 78212-0474.

Mario will be profoundly missed.

Contrary to popular belief, he was not the Spurs Coyote.