Raymond Morales Guerra, Jr.

Raymond Morales Guerra, Jr., beloved son, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and great-uncle has joined his parents and sister in eternal peace. He was born on August 19, 1946, and passed away on November 6, 2021 at the age of 75 years old.  He was the oldest of six siblings, owned an accounting business and was a Viet Nam veteran. He attended Central Catholic and was in the first graduating accounting class from UTSA. He leaves a legacy of kindness, generosity, and laughter.

Raymond was consistently supportive of his family. He cared for his mother and father, Ernestine Morales Guerra and Raymond Garza Guerra, who preceded him in death in 2007. He was devoted to his oldest sister, Loretta Guerra Woodruff, NYC, deceased in 2003.

He is survived by the light of his life, his daughter, Anita Guerra Pleasant and grandsons Adrian, Christopher and Steven. Other survivors include sisters Donna; and Claudia and nephew Andrew; and brother Jack and wife Suzanne and nephew/niece Leo and Abigail, all of San Antonio; from Norway, his sister Susan and nephews, Martin and Aksel with partner Kine; and great nieces and nephews Matheo, Frida and Jenny. Raymond loved Norwegian culture and always provided a home when they visited San Antonio; he traveled to Norway several times.

As a child, Raymond was close to his maternal grandparents, Federico “Fred” and Maria de Jesus “Susie” Rodriguez and their dog, Chico. Growing up, he spent many weekends in the 1960s working with his grandfather, who was the longtime manager at Rudy’s Feed Store on Nogalitos St.  Ray was usually the winner of “Who can eat the most tamales?” made by his grandmother, Susie, each Christmas Eve on her birthday.

After graduation from Central Catholic High School (Class of 1964), he enlisted in the Army and served till 1968. After this, he saved to buy his first car, the car of his youthful dreams, a 1970 Buick Skylark, with a rust red body and white top. He was proud!  The biggest blessing in his life was to become father to Anita, the “Bright Sunshine” in his heart, and he was the most loyal and loving father and grandfather until the day he died.

After completing his bachelor’s degree in business administration from UTSA (Class of 1978), he moved to Fort Worth to work for Six Flags over Texas, where he established good friends and co-workers. Once he returned to San Antonio some 20 years later, he shared a household with his parents. His mother often said she did not know how they would get along without Raymond, especially as they got older.

He worked with his father, at Ray G. Guerra and Associates, each with their businesses of real estate and accounting. For a period, he also shared the office with his brother Jack, who worked in urban planning. After his father’s death in 2007, Ray continued with his tax accountant business, Ray Guerra and Associates, specializing in tax returns and consultancy to individuals and small businesses.

He enjoyed meeting his clients. He was the kind of businessman who liked to work with people and hear their stories, which he always had time to listen to. He respected them as working people and saw them more than mere customers. Many of his long-term clients became tearful when they heard of his passing, always remarking on his generosity, which exemplifies how his working ethics included relationship-building as an important quality of doing business.

The last four and a half years of his life, Raymond regularly underwent dialysis treatment three times a week at the DaVita Dialysis Center. He considered the caregivers there as warm acquaintances and shared his love of jokes, puns and stories with them. They have expressed how much Raymond will be missed.

Others who knew Ray know that he enjoyed corny jokes and sharing a good laugh and his enjoyment was pronounced by his smiling eyes and big dimples. He was an avid supporter of the Chicago Bears football team (Bear Down Chicago Bears!), watching Spurs games with his family and the everlasting series, “Law and Order,” a family “guilty pleasure” he shared with his sisters.

He made the best cheesecake for Thanksgiving Day and truly relaxed by listening to music which his sisters gave him throughout the years, and he preferred listening whenever one of them was visiting him.

He was truly an honorary Norwegian, as he loved all things Norwegian, especially the drinking water, nature, and chocolates. He enjoyed good conversation with his nephews, Martin and Aksel, which they remember him fondly for. Ray was also able to witness his nephew, Matheo, grow up through to his teens. He met the newest additions to the Norwegian part of his family in November 2019, Aksel’s partner, Kine and their first daughter, Frida. During their first San Antonio visit, Ray made sure they felt at home from the moment they stepped into the house.

Ray always expressed the utmost care and consideration for all his siblings. He visited his oldest sister, Loretta, as often as possible while she was in palliative care, in NYC. He consistently included her in the family telephone list as “Loretta, in heaven,” as he did with our mother and father.

If anyone in his family had an emergency, he offered any support he could. He travelled twice to visit his family in Norway, and several of the people he met there remember him fondly. His home in San Antonio was the hub for family stays and his hospitality and generosity created deep roots within all.

We miss him terribly.

To paraphrase his daughter’s wish, I want to live my life the way he did, with generosity and kindness.

Thank you to all who send prayers and well wishes for his spirit.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

A  Memorial Rosary will be recited at 7:00 P.M.

at The Angelus Funeral Home

Friday, November 26, 2021

A Graveside Inurnment will be held at 1:15 P.M. with military honors

at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Pavilion #2.

Please use the main entrance at Harry Wurzbach and arrive up to 15 minutes beforehand as the service begins promptly.

After Fort Sam services, a reception for friends and family will be at the

Paloma Blanca restaurant, 5800 Broadway.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers, in memory of his sister Loretta, please donate to

https://ecan.org/give-the-gift-of-hope/

Rest in Peace dear Raymond.

Your loving family