Jeremias "Jay" Urias

Jeremias Munis Urias, 84, of Austin, Texas passed away on Monday, September 7, 2020. He was born on October 15, 1935 in Seguin, Texas to Juan Urias and Maria Munis Urias. Jerry grew up in Seguin and San Marcos and was the oldest of six children. He graduated from San Marcos High School in 1953 and after attended The University of Texas in Austin. Most of his friends and family knew him as either Jerry or Jay. Jay met his wife of 60 years at Templo Bethel Church where her uncle, Rev. Pedro Montoya was the pastor.

He started his career working for his friend, Ralph Moreland, at the original Holiday House on Barton Springs Road. Ralph not only became one of his best friends but also the best man at this wedding and his son, Ralph, is named after him. He then became an insurance salesman for John Hancock, where he met another great friend, Truman Sullivan. He and Truman went on to coach several little league baseball teams. He had to transition out of that role due to health issues and went back to his roots and spent the rest of his career as a restaurant manager/franchise owner. He managed three Winchell’s Donut restaurants and his kids, nephews, nieces and several of their friends worked for him where he taught them the importance of hard work, business and most importantly, work ethics.

Jay was an entrepreneur at heart, an innovator, and had a tenacious spirit. He instilled these values in everyone he knew, especially his children and grandchildren. Even after Jay retired, he ran a snow cone stand and had garage sales every weekend he could. He was always looking to find that next business opportunity and his grandson James has that same spirit.

He was a sports enthusiast and a Golden Gloves champion. He also coached his children and their friends in many sports and most of his kid’s friends just knew him as “Coach”. Jay also loved football and baseball and never missed a University of Texas or Dallas Cowboy football game. He named his son Gil after the first Hispanic football player at UT.

Jay was a huge proponent of education and loved to read self-help, professional development, and business books. He used to have a post card taped to the bathroom mirror that said, “I feel great. I feel wonderful. I feel terrific.” His kids used to have to say it in their heads 50 times while brushing their teeth in the morning. And, just in case they had not done it, he used to make them say it in the car on the way to school. It was that or listen to Tanya Tucker’s Delta Dawn or some other C&W song they did not like.

Jeremias was preceded in death by his parents, Juan Urias and Maria Munis, his daughter, Angela Rene Urias, and his siblings Joe Urias, Abraham Urias, Marian Castro, and Gloria Bargas.

Jeremias is survived by his wife Nabora Urias of Austin, Texas; by his children: Debra Urias and Mac McCully of Austin, Texas, Ralph Urias of Austin, Texas, and Gilbert and Terise Urias of Kyle, Texas; by his grandchildren: James Urias of Austin, Texas and Angela Urias and Esteban Bilderback of Austin, Texas; by his great grandchild Andrea Bilderback; and by his brother John Urias; and numerous sister-in-law's, brother-in-law's; nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. It is important to note that Jay never met a stranger. Every person in the world, to him, was just a friend he had not met yet.

The family wishes to give many, many thanks and sincere gratitude to his sister-in-law Mary Montoya. She has spent the last few years taking care of him and her sister. We also wish to thank our cousin Nina and his sister-in-law Gloria for taking care of him and spending his last night with him so the family could get some rest. Thanks also to the Brookdale Hospice staff for their support and care. Finally, we would be remiss if we did not thank his nephew Arnold Serrano for always watching baseball and football with our dad.

Funeral arrangements will be held at the Cook Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park (6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, Texas). The family will be receiving family and friends at the Visitation on Friday, September 11, 2020 from 5:00–7:00 p.m. The Funeral Service will be on Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. with the Gravesite Service to follow at 3:00 p.m.

Condolences, memories, and pictures may be shared on Jeremias Urias’s online guest book at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/austin-tx/jeremias-urias-9348801/add-memory.