Lucas Reyes

REYES
Lucas Reyes, beloved family man, devoted husband, civic leader, researcher, father, grandfather, brother, cousin and uncle, passed away on July 16, peacefully at his home of 20 years surrounded by his loving family. Lucas was 94 years of age and joined his loving wife of 63 years, Celia F. Reyes. Mr. Reyes was born in 1916, the eldest child of fourteen children to the late Maria (Villarreal) Reyes and the late Carlos Reyes B. of Beeville. He graduated from Jackson School in Beeville in 1935 and the McDonnell Institute in Durango, Mexico in 1937 with a degree in Public Accounting. On December 1946 he married Celia Flores of Berclair, and they had three children, Hector, Alma and Joel Lucas. Mr. Reyes worked as a research agronomist for the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Agricultural Experiment Station (now AgriLife Research Station) in Beeville and the TAMU Agricultural Research and Extension Center (now Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center) at Corpus Christi. Mr. Reyes was instrumental in planning and building the TAMU Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Corpus Christi and was its first director in 1974. On October 1987, he retired after 50 years of service and was named a Texas A&M University Research Agronomist Emeritus on May 23, 1988, by the Board of Regents of the Texas A&M University System. Mr. Reyes was affectionately known as "Mr. South Texas Agriculture" and was named Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture in 1983 by the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association. The numerous professional and community awards received by Mr. Reyes include The Grain Sorghum Producers Association Distinguished Service Award in 1973; Honoree with his wife of the South Texas Hereford Association during the Beeville Western Week Celebration in 1982; Granted the Distinguished Service Award by TAMU Office of the Deputy Chancellor for Agriculture in 1983; Named Trail Boss of the 1990 Western Week Celebration; Given the Bee County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award in 1987 and in 2008 was made honorary co-chairman of the Bee County Chamber of Commerce board officers' installation and awards banquet. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Beeville, serving on its Parish Council, and a long time member of the Bee County Farm Bureau, the Beeville Country Club and the Texas Tuberculosis Association. In his youth, Mr. Reyes was well known as the catcher and second baseman for the Berclair Cardinals community baseball team. Survivors include his son, Hector Reyes of Guerneville, CA; a daughter and son-in-law, Alma Reyes and Mike Fernandez of Houston; a son and daughter-in-law, Joel Lucas and Patricia Reyes of Red Oak; two grandsons, Lucas Miguel Fernandez and Carlos Antonio Reyes; his brothers, Bert, Mike (Elida), and Ruben (Myrna); his sisters, Rachel Gonzales, Florinda Rodriguez (Victor), and Estella Naranjo all of San Antonio; his sisters-in-law Francis Postel (Emilio) of San Antonio, Olga Vara, Maria O. Martinez of Corpus Christi, Lidia Garcia (Jesse); his brother-in-law Ernesto Flores Sr; numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.He was predeceased by his wife Celia F. Reyes; his brothers, Alvino, Antonio, Carlos Jr. and Pedro and his sisters, Otilia, Christine and Martha. Visitation will be held on Tuesday July 19, 2011 from 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm at Trevino Funeral Home in Beeville. A holy rosary will be recited on Tuesday at 7:30 pm at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Beeville. Funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10:00 am July 20, 2011 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Beeville Memorial Park. Honorary Pall Bearers are Jesse Garcia, Emilio Postel Sr., Bert Reyes, Mike Reyes, Ruben Reyes, Lucas Miguel Fernandez and Carlos Antonio Reyes. The family would like to thank the management, nurses and care providers at Exclusive Home Health and Hospice for their tireless care and assistance for Mr. Reyes' special needs during the final months of his life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made on behalf of Lucas Reyes to the American Heart Association, PO Box 841125, Dallas, TX 75284-1125 or donate.americanheart.org.
Trevino Funeral Home, Inc.
Beeville, Texas