Robert Tamez

Robert Tamez was a native San Antonian born on June 7, 1934. At the age of 13, he joined the migrant stream picking cherries and tomatoes in Michigan and Indiana. He attended Sydney Lanier High School and after graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy, he was a member of the elite Sea Bees battalion during the Korean War.

In 1959 he moved to Austin, where he enrolled at The University of Texas, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and became a lifelong Longhorn fan. In 1962 he started working civil service at Kelly AFB where he worked on procurement policy until 1973. He then transferred to Bergstrom AFB in Austin as deputy chief of the procurement division. In 1975, he accepted a federal position with The Small Business Administration He was instrumental in developing various minority owned businesses in San Antonio.

Robert Tamez was very involved at Holy Family Church where he once served as president of the parish. In 1974 Robert and a group of people from Holy Family noticed that a bridge that connected Culebra Park to the Breezewood Village neighborhood needed repair. This was important because it helped children cross drainage channels from Culebra Park to Esparza Elementary. This is how Tamez came to be one of the initial organizers of a San Antonio citizen group called C.O.P.S (Citizens Organized for Public Service) where he served as their first co-chairman. Robert was also instrumental in getting Esparza Elementary named. When the school was being developed Tamez felt that it should have a Mexican name that represented the population that would attend there. The district stated that the school has to be named after a hero from the Alamo, Tamez researched and found the Name Gregorio Esparza which became the official name of the Northside school.

Robert also served on the San Antonio City Planning Commission and the San Antonio City Library board. He is preceded in death by his parents Adan Tamez and Cleotilde Martinez Tamez, his sisters Maria Louisa Velasquez, Cielo Ornelas and brother Alfred Tamez. He is survived by his beloved son and daughter Edward Tamez and Selena Tamez Garza (Joe L. Garza). 

FUNERAL SERVICES

Visitation will begin on Thursday, December 19th at 5:00pm with a Rosary to be recited at 6:00pm at the Angelus Chapel.  Funeral Mass will be offered on Friday, December 20th at 10:00am at Holy Family Catholic Church.  Interment will follow in San Fernando Cemetery # 2.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers Robert requested that donations be made to C.O.P.S. Metro.

Donations can be made at https://www.copsmetro.com/