Servando Ramos was born on April 17, 1933, in Aguilares, Texas, the fifteenth child of Baltazar Ramos, Sr. and Pomposa Roach Ramos. He shot his first rabbit on December 7, 1941, the day of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Servando remained friends with the buddies of his childhood for all of his life, particularly Horace Mitchell and Ed Guerra. His favorite memories from youth included digging an underground fort with Ed and Horace and also traveling with his sister Mirtha to perform and compete with their high school Folkloric Dance Troupe. He loved to talk about being the quarterback of his high school football team and their wonderful coach. In his senior year of high school, on Thanksgiving weekend, the coach drove Servando and several teammates to Houston to watch the Rice Owls football team play TCU in the newly constructed Rice Stadium.
Servando graduated from Bruni High in 1951 and joined the U.S. Navy, participating in the Korean War on an aircraft carrier. While on leave one early September weekend, he was smitten at a dance in Hebbronville by the lovely and talented Elba Zaida Sanchez of Laredo, just before she returned to college in Denton, Texas. He sent her flowers the next day. They conducted a very romantic courtship, mostly by mail.
After concluding his Navy service in 1955, he moved to Dallas and started at John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company in September. He and Elba married in Laredo the following month. Within two years, the young couple purchased a starter home. Within six years, they had five children. John Hancock transferred Servando to Houston in 1965, and with Elba's encouragement he continued his highly successful insurance career with John Hancock for more than 33 years. In addition to myriad family and business activities, Servando and Elba devoted much time to their parish church and school, St. Vincent de Paul, and to charitable groups, including the Sembradores de Amistad Educational Foundation, the Institute of Hispanic Culture, and the Order of Granaderos of Galvez. Working with those similarly focused on faith, education, and culture, Servando and Elba made lifelong friends with whom it was a pleasure to socialize and accomplish worthy charitable goals. Servando also spent many Houston years serving the United Way of Texas and with the Knights of Columbus.
In 2000, Servando and Elba retired to Georgetown, Texas. They loved their mid-elder years there, including happy immersion in activities at Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church in nearby Andice. Fun and fascinating neighbors made it easy to form warm friendships quickly, including Ed and Phyllis Zagrodsky, Luther and Cheryl White, Dot King, Dr. Sheena and Eric Allen, and Carol Cuddihee. Servando and Elba thoroughly enjoyed themselves with social clubs, volunteer work, teaching Spanish, and traveling. Elba passed away on January 30, 2015, but their love story will never end.
Servando moved back to Houston in late 2016, resuming his membership as a parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul and embarking upon a surprisingly busy social life at Bayou Manor, where he was warmly welcomed by an old friend, Michael Prats, and resided for more than eight years. Within a short time of his arrival, Servando’s courtly charm made him a minor celebrity, and his engaging pursuit of interesting dialogue made him a general favorite. Some of his most meaningful friendships were formed there among confreres of similar vintage, especially Dr. Buford Nichols, Florence Kusnetz, Dr. Don Marcus, Bankie Lavender, and Ellen Kucinich. All the kind Bayou Manor employees regularly spoiled him, particularly Mamie, Frances, Alfa, Linda, Gustavo, Blanca, Joel, Rachel, and Clark. Although his last couple of years were impeded by declining health, he was sustained with affectionate cheer by many caregivers from Care Innovations, particularly Nicole, Cathy, Ann Marie, Tosha, and Esmeralda.
Servando is survived by his five children and their spouses: Martha and Peter Mims, Van and Terri Ramos, David and Natalie Ramos, Teresa and Frank Muscara, and Albert and Karen Ramos. He was loved by eleven grandchildren: Joseph Mims, Cristina Setser (Jason), Lindsey Blazek (David), Kelly Lin (Leo), Kyle Ramos (Jaclyn), Michael Gaston, Taylor Ramos, Tessa Ramos, Zaida Garcia (David), Nicholas Servando Muscara, and Rebecca Alperin (Sam), along with fourteen great-grandchildren: Laura, Emma, Anna, Israel, and Havah Blazek; Isabel, Isaac, Isolda, and Ilias Lin; Carter and Evalyn Ramos; Bodhi, Maia, and Zaida Garcia. He was the favorite uncle of many nieces and nephews, and he was beloved by numerous friends who fondly recall his energetic enthusiasm.
All church services will be on Wednesday, April 24, in Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Houston. The Visitation will be at 9 AM, with the Rosary beginning at 9:30 AM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 AM. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church (6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX 77025), Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church (6571 FM 970, Florence, TX 76527), The Institute of Hispanic Culture (3315 Sul Ross Street, Houston, TX 77098), or Annunciation Maternity Home (3610 Shell Road, Georgetown, TX 78628).
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