Gabriel J. Tamayo Jr.

Gabriel was first and foremost a family man. A devout Catholic, he raised his sons to be true to their authentic selves and worked hard for them to have the best education possible. He enjoyed travel and attending family events especially reunions. He was an avid fisherman who always enjoyed introducing new kids to his favorite pastime.

He enlisted in the Marines in December 1943 after his last football game but before graduation from Lockhart high school. He left for boot camp with his mother’s rosary in his pocket and a lifelong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in his heart.

During WWII Gabriel served in the Asiatic-Pacific theater with the 1ST Marine Division as a machine gunner. He was wounded in action on June 30, 1945 in Okinawa and was awarded the Purple Heart. After his discharge he returned home and joined the Marine Reserve that was subsequently activated for the Korean war. Gabriel participated in a campaign against North Korea that included the Chosin Reservoir. He was discharged in September 1951 with eleven ribbons including the Purple Heart, three Presidential Unit Citations, one Navy Unit Citation and four battle stars.

Returning home after WWII Gabriel met and married Aurelia Deleon Gonzalez on June 5, 1949 and spent the next 73 years of his life by her side. In 1999 they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows at St. Ignatius Church and taking a month-long tour of Europe.

Post-war jobs were scarce but Gabriel was persistent and persuaded Mr. J. F. Kramer, the owner of Austin Armature Works, to give him a chance. Gabriel or “Gabe” as he was known to his friends and customers, worked for the Kramer family for the next 47 years as an electrician repairing cotton gins, cement plants and oil field equipment in and around central Texas.

After returning to civilian life Gabriel and other veterans would meet and discuss their experiences. These meetings evolved into an interim committee that led to the formation of Catholic War Veterans Post 1805 and the election of Gabriel as Post Commander on December 7, 1957. Since then, Gabriel held a variety of elected offices within the organization at both the state and local levels. As a founding charter member of Post 1805 he was awarded lifetime membership in 1992.

Gabriel is survived by his wife Aurelia Tamayo, sons George (Alma, wife) and Mark (Sam Hunley, husband) brother, Hector Tamayo and sisters, Bertha Moreno and Sr. Gabriel Ann Tamayo M.C.D.P.