Julio's Life After Lyford High Graduation

After graduation I enrolled at what was then Texas College of Arts & Industries, now Texas A&M University at Kingsville.  Due to lack of funds and a job I was only able to attend 4 semesters.

So, in the summer of  1962, I decided to fulfill my military obligation by joining the US Air Force where I trained in Security/Law Enforcement and in November I was shipped to Tainan Air Station, Taiwan for a period of 16 months.  It was during this time that  Kennedy was assassinated.  Upon returning to the United States, I was stationed at what is known as Americas's Most Beautiful Military Base, Randolph AFB, near
San Antonio.  It was there that I had the honor of guarding Air Force #1, when Lyndon Baines Johnson was President

Before reporting to Randolph, I married Carolina Rios in March 12, 1964.  It was also while I was stationed there our first two girls were born at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio.  We remained there for the rest of my military career.

We moved back to Lyford and with the aid of the GI Bill and a full time job at Lyford CISD, I was finally able to get my BS in Education from UTPA in 1970 and a MEd. in 1975.  We decided that Carolina would go to college also at UTPA where she got her BS in Bi-lingual Education.
Our daughter's names are Vidala Ximena (works for Raymondville ISD) and LaMar (works for Robstown ISD) both are teachers and Donella Marisol works for XRIO-TV station as an administrator.  We are also the proud grandparents of six grandchildren, 2 girls and 4 boys.  The oldest grand-son was named after me and is an audio engineering instructor at a technical college in Nashville, TN.  Amanda Jewel, our eldest grand-daughter is attending West Texas A&M University.  The rest of the grandchildren are elementary age or younger.  Their names are Mya Marisol, Pablo III, Mathew Torivio and Marco Julian.

We have two sons-in-law, Ric Ortiz who works for the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office in Corpus Christi and the other son-in-law is Paul Alvarado who is a law enforcement officer in Georgetown.

Besides, my work I have been involved in community service.  I served as a Lyford City Commissioner for 8 years, on the WC Housing Project Board for 8 years and this is my 26th year as board member at South Texas ISD.

I retired from Lyford CISD in June 1995 with 32 years of service, where I had worked as a janitor, bus driver, instructional aide, teacher and administrator working my way up to Lyford High School Principal.  After, retiring I worked at the WC State Prison for another 5 years and then worked as a substitute teacher until my health started to catch up with me.  In 2003, I became a full time unemployed old man.  Now, all that my wife and I do is stay home and take care of each other.

Thanks,
Julio