John Rubio Hernandez

John R. Hernandez

September 30, 1920 – July 21, 2013

John Rubio Hernandez, age 92, was born on born September 30, 1920 in El Campo, Texas and passed away July 21, 2013 in Houston, Texas.

John was preceded in death by his son Jeffery Joseph Hernandez. He is survived by his wife of 65 years Eva Q. Hernandez, children John Hernandez, Jr., Rowena Hernandez and husband Harry Butson, James Hernandez and wife Annette, Jason Hernandez, daughter-in-law Lori Fischer, grandchildren Brynn Zubizarreta and husband Merrill, Kristin Hargrave and husband Trevor, Kevin Hernandez, Joshua Hernandez, Jaeger Butson, Ian and Natalie Andreen-Hernandez, great-grandchildren Anthony, Michael and Camelia Zubizarreta, Tyson Hargrave, and numerous siblings, nieces, and nephews.

John was born in El Campo, Texas and raised on a farm in Goliad, Texas. He worked hard on the farm as a member of a large family with 10 siblings and spoke often of picking cotton during those years. He carried with him throughout his life the work ethic learned in those early years.

He was a decorated World War II Army veteran. John joined the United States Army in June 1940 and served for five years in the 631st Field Artillery Battalion as a radio operator. He participated in the campaigns in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, earning the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars, the American Defense Service Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. He loved baseball and played on his Army team during his service.

After discharge from the Army in 1945, he supported himself as a bartender (though he never drank himself) while attending barber school. He had a barber shop in Houston for many years across from the old Maxwell House factory.

In 1946 he met his future wife Eva Quiroz at a Valentine’s Day Black and White dance at the Rice Hotel. They married in 1948 and began a family that grew to include four boys and one girl. For a time, John was a single parent while Eva was ill with tuberculosis. She recovered and he continued working a series of jobs beginning with his years as a barber, as a manager for 7-Eleven, and as a life insurance agent. When the Astrodome opened in the 1960s, he worked there with his oldest sons Jeff and John selling baseball programs. After retirement, he kept busy for a few years with a part-time job at the HEB grocery store across the street from his house.

John managed little league baseball for Jeff and John, and was involved in Scouting with them. He enjoyed watching James race motocross. He loved playing golf and collecting coins. While he was a man of few words, John possessed a dry sense of humor and could bring a smile to your face with his laugh. In recent years he has been a fixture on his front porch, watching the birds and squirrels and the people go by. He will be missed by all who counted on seeing him sitting there and would stop to talk. He treasured Eva and remained devoted to her throughout their life together.

The family would like to thank the staff at Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital, Kindred Hospital The Heights, and Vitas Hospice Care for their kindness and caring attention during his final weeks. We were blessed to share those many hours with him and will carry him in our hearts.