Our beloved father and family patriarch, Raymond Bret Meraz, entered eternal life on May 9, 2019. He was born on December 21, 1932, and lived most of his life in and around Houston, Texas, but retired to country life in Ellinger, Texas in Fayette County, a place he and his loving wife of almost 68 years, Enemoria Pantoja Meraz, referred to as “God’s Country.” His sense of humor, love of puns and jokes, is remembered vividly by all who knew him. His alias was, “tall, handsome, and good-looking!” Growing up, Ray loved sports, lettered in boxing, played football, softball, and wrestled. He loved his wife’s home-cooked meals and never knew a spice that was too hot. Enemoria loved to hear him sing; he had a smooth rich voice that gave his family many hours of pleasure. He loved to travel and drive cross-country, especially into Mexico. He was very proud of his Mexican/Spanish roots. Ray served in the U.S. Air Force as a Russian linguist during the Korean War. The Air Force sent him to Syracuse University to learn Russian, as he had a propensity for languages – he spoke 5 different languages. Immediately following his service, he worked for the NSA, but made a decision to move back to Houston to raise his family close to a huge loving extended family; he considered his extended family, immediate family. He often referred to his family as his wealth, and in that regard he considered himself a very wealthy and blessed man. Ray worked for many years in the typographical industry, serving in many capacities as a printer and Typographical Union President for the Southwest U.S. Subsequent to that career, he went on to work as an accountant for the federal government in the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Customs Department, and finally NASA, from whence he retired. Ray’s priorities in life were faith first, family, then career/community, etc. Ray was a fourth degree Knight of Columbus; started a church credit union for parishioners when he was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church; was devoted to the community Rosary at St. Mary’s in Ellinger; loved sharing his faith through media and conversation with anyone he could; was a committed pro-life activist; and had a special devotion to the Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
He was preceded in death by Maria Meraz and Antonio Meraz, his mother and father; Alonzo Meraz, Aurora Gonzalez, and David Meraz, his siblings; Terry Diana, his daughter; 1 child, 3 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild that did not survive into this world but are in heaven; as well as many loved extended family members.
He is survived by his wife, Enemoria Meraz; his children, Patty Stroyick, Elizabeth Edwards, Lorri Grabowski, Ray Meraz, Jr., and Veronica Vatterott; his grand-children, Christina Brengel, Sean Stroyick, Chris Edwards, Abby Pardy, Matthew Diana, Katy Diana, Veronica Jones, Michael Grabowski, Trey Meraz, Nicole Meraz, Jacob Meraz, Emily Meraz, Regina Vatterott, Annie Kent, Charlie Vatterott, Mary Clare Vatterott; and great-grandchildren, Benjamin Brengel, Katherine Pardy, Victoria Grabowski, Dominic Grabowski, and Aubrey Grabowski.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18