Warren "J.R." Tinseth Jr.

Those who loved him bestowed many nicknames on him, such as “Bud,” “Mr. Sunshine,” and “Captain Awesome,” but those who knew him best called him simply “J.R.”

J.R. was born on June 7, 1956, in Tacoma, Washington, to Joyce and Warren Tinseth Sr. As the son of a Chief Warrant Officer helicopter pilot, he spent his “Army brat” youth growing up in myriad places, including California, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, and Germany (twice).

In his “rebel without a cause” phase as a student at Fort Sam Houston’s Robert G. Cole High School, he played football and drove his younger sister to school on his motorcycle.

The fearless, mischief-making middle child grew into an adventurous young man who loved being outdoors and on the water. Shortly after his graduation from Cole in 1975, he joined the United States Navy. His travels at sea included a Mediterranean tour. His military career was cut short in 1978 when he was injured while serving on the USS Seattle (AOE-3) in Norfolk, Virginia.

During his recovery, he drove his truck—both arms still in casts—to surprise his older sister in Alabama. He kept driving until he returned to the Lone Star state, which became his permanent home.

J.R. did not let his injuries stop him from living life to the fullest. He bought a boat and continued camping, fishing, and waterskiing at places like Lake McQueeny and Canyon Lake. He also loved music and learned to play guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and harmonica.

He went to work for the U.S. government in civil service, from which he retired in 2003. One of his career highlights came when his cost-saving initiative at the Defense Automated Printing Service received a Hammer Award from then-Vice President Al Gore as part of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government.

He joined Alamo Heights Baptist Church in the mid-1990s. He loved serving the Lord as a youth Sunday School teacher, in the Senior and Men’s ministries, by singing in the choir, and as a deacon.

At the church, he met the love of his life, Diane Martinez, and they married on April 11, 1998, in San Antonio. He became a father in 2001 when his daughter Emily was born. J.R. embraced being a “girl dad” and spending time with her in his retirement. He escorted her to and from elementary school in his motorized wheelchair. He attended dance recitals and competitions and high school football game half-time performances. Together they stole the show with his father-daughter senior dance performance. The highlight of his final year was seeing his daughter get married and gaining a son-in-law.

J.R. began participating in adaptive wheelchair sports in 2003 through the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Center and the Texas chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. He competed in bowling, boccia ball, trap shooting, baseball, table tennis and many other activities. For more than a decade he traveled all over the country to attend the National Veteran Wheelchair Games, proudly bringing home a variety of medals.

J.R. was preceded in death by his parents, father and brother-in-law. He is survived by his wife, Diane Tinseth, and daughter Emily Tinseth Knight (Bradley). Other survivors include sisters Glenda Vancil (Gerald), and Julie Tinseth; nieces Jen Sansbury (Karl Mueller) and Jessica Weese; great-nieces Kayla and Braylen White; uncle Leon Walker and many cousins; and his mother-in-law, sister-in-law and family.

Visitation will be Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Sunset Funeral Home, 1701 Austin Highway, San Antonio, Texas 78218. Funeral services begin at noon at the same location.

Graveside service with military honors will follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his name to the Paralyzed Veterans of America – Texas Chapter, P. O. Box 989, Crosby, TX 77532. Donations may also be made over the phone by calling 713-520-8782 or online at https://texaspva.org/donate/.

J.R.’s family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to the countless medical professionals who cared for him over the years, as well as their extended family and friends, church family, veteran family, and neighbors.