Dallas Blagg Jr.

1938 - 2017

Mission - Dallas Blagg, Jr., doting father, dutiful son and husband so persistent that he married twice, died peacefully, surrounded by his children on June 30, 2017 at the age of 78.

Born in San Antonio, TX on November 12, 1938, to parents Dallas Blagg, Sr. and Lorette Dubose Blagg, he grew up along with his sister Tina on his family's sugar cane farm near El Naranjo, Mexico, where he was homeschooled by his mother, learned to drive at the age of 8 and became fluent in Spanish, a skill that would throughout his life confound strangers on both sides of the border - how can a white guy habla español so well?

Dallas attended the Schreiner Institute where he earned mediocre grades and was the starting running back for what was at the time the worst ranked high school football team in Texas. He was the first person in his family to pursue higher education, graduating from Southwest Texas State Teachers College with a Bachelor's degree in both business and Spanish literature.

He taught high school Spanish for several years before selling textbooks and later farm machinery in various countries in South America as well as in Mexico. Eventually he returned to where he started, growing sugar cane on the family farm.

Dallas was, naturally, a Dallas Cowboys fan, one whose fervent devotion elevated football to a religion in its own right - his pew the couch, the TV his altar. He made the pilgrimage to his Mecca in Arlington twice, and both times they lost. Still, he believed.

Such devotion was matched only by his devotion to his wife, Reeta Mahmud Blagg, now deceased, with whom he had three children, Ali, Elena and Tara Blagg.

He is survived by children Ali, Elena, Tara and Sacha Miller.

Visitation will be held today, July 3, from 12-2pm at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home. Service and burial will follow at San Jose Catholic Cemetery in Mission, TX.