Celestino Menchaca, Jr.

Celestino “Tino” Menchaca, Jr., longtime local Teacher and resident, went home to be with the Lord on September 23, 2020. By God’s grace he passed peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones.

Tino was born on July 25, 1933 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Celestino Sr. and Catalina (De Hoyos) Menchaca, who were both originally from the state of Coahuila, Mexico.

Tino is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Antonieta Menchaca, his children Jay Menchaca, Lisa Loo and Tino Menchaca, his grandchildren Jacob Loo and Zachary Loo, his brother Salvador Menchaca and numerous nieces, nephews and many others he considered as family.

Tino was a gentle man with much love to give and he was, in turn, dearly beloved by family and friends.

Tino grew up in the small South Texas town of Crystal City. After graduating from High School in Crystal City, TX, Tino attended, and graduated from, St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. There, Tino studied History and Political Science and earned a Bachelor’s Degree.

He would later go on to earn his Master’s Degree from Texas A&I University. Throughout his professional life he passionately pursued higher education, taking many opportunities to advance.

Not long after graduating from college, Tino enlisted in the US Army.

He served overseas in the Office of the Provost Marshall (“Com Z”) in Orleans, France from 1957 to 1959. While he was there, Tino became fluent in French and would return to visit several times over his lifetime. Tino was very proud of his military service and would go on to serve for numerous additional years in the Texas National Guard and Reserves.

In 1959, upon successfully completing his term with the US Army, he returned to his hometown of Crystal City, TX, where he became one of the first Hispanic teachers to be hired by the racially divided city and he continued to teach there for 5 years. This would turn out to be the beginning of a 40+ year term of public service as an Educator. It was during this time in Crystal City that he met his wife Antonieta Trevino De La Garza and they were married on April 14, 1963.

In May of 1965, Tino and Antonieta came to California for a visit with their infant son, Jay. The next day after he arrived he found a summer job with the State. What he thought was a visit became a permanent move when they both fell in love with the Bay Area and decided to make it their home.

Tino was soon hired as a Teacher for what was then the Rucker School District and which then became part of the Gilroy Unified School District. He would go on to serve as an elementary school Educator for our community for the next 35+ years. While most of this time was spent at Rucker School, he also taught at Glenview and Las Animas schools. Like before, Tino was again among the earliest Hispanic teachers to be hired by the district. His bilingual skills were often called upon by administration and he gladly translated many documents while still maintaining his own classroom and curriculum. Tino was proud of both his Hispanic and Italian heritage. He continued to serve as a substitute teacher for several years after his retirement. He was well liked by his students as evidenced by the many people over the years who would approach him to tell him so.

Most importantly, Tino loved the Lord. As soon as he  trusted Jesus as his savior, he became an evangelist to his extended family throughout Texas and the country.  He found it his greatest pleasure and desire to help and provide for both his family and others with various needs.

Together with Antonieta they took a special interest in visiting the elderly and sick and ministering to their needs.

Tino was a longtime member of Primera Iglesia Bautista  and Gilroy’s First Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon for many years, he leaves many loved ones there. He was also a member of The Gideons International, The Gilroy Camp, a body of believers dedicated to making the Word of God available to everyone and, together with the local church, reaching souls for Christ.

Tino also did some mission work abroad and was a part of a team that distributed new testament bibles while sharing the gospel with people from various backgrounds including Travelers across the Mediterranean into countries where it was prohibited to share the gospel openly and his knowledge of French helped spread the gospel.

Tino is greatly missed by his family who take comfort in God’s countless promises of his present state: “...absent from the body, present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:8

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1. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

    2. For the wages of sin is death, (Romans 6:23)

3. but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

4. if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

(Romans 10:9)

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A private memorial service will be held at National Veteran’s Cemetery.