Ismael Salinas III

On January 2, 2023, our beloved Ismael “Mike” Salinas was called to join his Heavenly Father and his beloved wife of 69 years, Angelica “Angie” Salinas, who passed away in 2019. He passed peacefully after 92 years of loving care to his immediate family and his community. In addition to his beloved wife, he is preceded in death by his parents, Manuela F. Salinas and Ismael Salinas II.

Mike was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas and, as a youth, had worked several odd jobs including working at Parr’s Pharmacy and the Driscoll Hotel. While working at the hotel he met many famous people including Tyrone Powers, a film star. He was always a hard worker and earned money so that he could pay for his life-long passion of flying. At the age of sixteen, he secretly paid for flying lessons from a WWII veteran who was working at Cabaniss Field. He was a quick learner and passed his tests to become a pilot at the age of 16. As a result of this achievement, he was featured in the Corpus Christi Caller Times (1946), as being the youngest pilot in Corpus Christi.

He graduated from Corpus Christi High School, Del Mar College and DeVry Technical School in Chicago, Illinois. During his Del Mar College experience he was known as “Slide Rule Salinas” because of his math acumen. In 1950 he married his high school sweetheart, Angie Almaraz. They started a family and he joined the military. He became a member of the 11th Army Airborne Division, known as the “The Angels.”

Following his military service he moved to Chicago to further his education at DeVry Technical Institute where he graduated with a degree in electronics. Upon graduation he moved his young family back to Corpus Christi. Through the years, he worked for KVDO as a camera man, the Texas Highway Department, and New York Life Insurance Company. In the late 1960s he earned his insurance broker’s license and by the early 1980s he opened Salinas Insurance Agency, which he owned and operated until his stroke in 2014. He will be remembered for his selfless work and support of families in the Corpus Christi area.

For forty years Mike and his family were members of the First United Methodist Church where he and Angie served their church family by helping with communion Sundays. He also did lay readings from time to time.

Mike will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by his five daughters, Ruth Wayne, Nancy Salinas, Patricia Lawrence, Cynthia Maser and Grace Prather; two sons in law (Robert Wayne and James Maser); five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Mike lived his life with the highest level of integrity and service to family and community. His presence brightened a room and his relentless jokes always brought a smile. He will be remembered for his unconditional love, selfless heart, sense of humor, spirit of adventure and as a man who gave his all each day. As a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great- grandfather he has taken his last flight to forever be an angel.

Visitation will be held at Memory Gardens Funeral Home beginning at 12:30 PM on Monday, January 9, 2023 with Celebration of Life Service to follow at 2:00 PM. Burial will take place at Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemoryGardensFuneralHome.com for the Salinas family.