Ruben Tellez Pastran Jr.

Ruben Tellez Pastran, Jr. passed away on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. He was born on Monday, October 29, 1962, in San Antonio, Texas, and is the firstborn of Ruben Cantu Pastran, Sr. and Maria Esther Tellez Pastran. Ruben is survived by his parents, sisters, Pattrina Pastran and Raquel Sonya Conner, niece, Angie Clapp, and nephew Christian Andreas Conner. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Ruben was an avid reader from the time he learned how to read. His love for reading was unparalleled only by the knowledge that he received from those many books, and the manner in which he was able to retain and use that information. After moving from San Antonio, staying a brief time in Eagle Lake, he eventually settled with his family in Houston, Texas. Ruben’s first introduction to an amazing amount of books was at Memorial Elementary. There, reading books was encouraged and rewarded with green, blue, red, silver and gold stars. Ruben didn’t read for the stars; he read because he was totally immersed in any story he was reading. Whether it was fiction, non-fiction, a dictionary or an encyclopedia, he was there to seize and conquer.

His father gifted him a 1969 blue SS Camaro when he was 17. He loved that car, and it was as much a part of him in his later life as the day he first laid eyes on it. In his mind and in his stories, that car stayed brilliantly real and alive.

He soon moved from Houston to San Antonio to continue his education at UTSA. He received his bachelor’s degree in the summer of 1999, and became a teacher. His love for books, knowledge, and history made him a prime candidate to be a great teacher. He enjoyed the privilege of teaching “his children” while he was able to do so, and I know he missed them all when he was forced to stop teaching because of his illness.

One of Ruben’s favorite pastimes besides reading was fishing. He was also a collector of Matchbox and Hot Wheels’ cars and fishing equipment. He especially loved playing practical jokes on his sisters, and they would give anything to hear his laugh and see his smile again for that next prank.

Throughout his lifetime, he had a wide array of animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, guineas, quail, roosters and chickens. When he was able, he enjoyed sitting on his front porch and throwing some chicken feed and cat food for his pets. He left some of those beautiful animals for us to care for, especially his beloved black chicken.

He loved his family and extended family, and was always delving deeper into his genealogy. He knew the names of great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins of his grandparents, etc. He could take you on a trip to the cemetery and find some of these plots, and was able to tell you the lineage and a little story about that person. His “beautiful mind” captured all his knowledge, and it was easily dispensed by him and immensely enjoyed by those around him.

Since he was limited in what he could do, his phone was his gateway to the world. He was always listening to or reading whatever fancied him on any given day. He especially loved watching cute animal videos and fishing videos because that is what he loved most, and he shared those with friends and family to let them know he was thinking about them. We are so happy that his ability to read was always just an arms-length away.

Ruben had a big heart, and almost always had a smile on his face. He never complained about any hurt or pain he was experiencing. If you asked him how he was doing, he would simply say, ‘I’m okay.’

Ruben was raised with the knowledge of a Grand Creator, Jehovah God, and his most precious Son, Jesus Christ. He understood why so many bad things were happening on the earth but that soon there would be an end to all of man’s sorrow and pain. He was close to Jehovah and would often visit Him in prayer, and I’m sure especially so as he felt his body tiring out. Only He knew his true thoughts and desires, and we are confident that Jehovah will keep him in his “book of remembrance” and “save a place in his kingdom” for him.

We love and miss Ruben dearly. We look forward to the time when we can welcome him and many other loved ones who have already fallen asleep in death back to life on earth as Jehovah God originally purposed. – Rev. 21:3-5; Is. 55: 10, 11; Mal. 3:16; Dan. 12:13