Dr. Santiago "Jim" Sanchez

Dr. Santiago “Jim” Amador Sanchez, age 97, of Temple, Texas passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2025 at a local care center in Temple, Texas. He was born the son of Santiago and Adelfa (Gonzalez) Sanchez on July 24, 1927 in Laredo, Texas. He was a direct descendent of Don Tomas Sanchez de la Barrera, founder of Laredo, Texas.

After serving his country in the United States Air Force during WWII, he earned a BA in Chemistry from the University of Texas in 1948, then went on to earn his medical degree from Northwestern University in 1952. While in medical school, he married Margaret Ellen Gage in Carlinville, IL on June 25, 1950. In 1974, while on staff at Scott and White Clinic, he took a sabbatical returning to the University of Texas and earned a BA in Journalism. He practiced for 30 years on staff at Scott and White Hospital initially as a cardiologist and then as Head of Internal Medicine. During his tenure, Dr. Sanchez also served 11 years as a member of the review and selection committee at Texas A&M College of Medicine.

Dr. Sanchez was the Secretary and Treasurer for the Emeritus-Medicus organization in Temple, member of Great Books, member of Cultural Activities Center Chapter, and served as Deacon, and Elder of Grace Presbyterian Church in Temple, where he was also a member of the Men of the Church group and Meals on Wheels program which he served with his wife.

He is survived by a son, Thomas Sanchez and wife Irma, his daughters, Meg Ann Chancellor and husband Charles and Betsi Longoria and husband David, grandchildren, Marcia, Dahlia, and Fabian Sanchez, Nathan, Colby, and Brittney Evans, and several great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Margaret “Meg” Sanchez (9/9/2018).

The following words that Jim lived by:

God, Grant me the Serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the Courage to change the One I can, and the wisdom to know it’s Me.

Private family services will be held, and Dr. Sanchez will be buried at Bellwood Cemetery in Temple, Texas.