Jose "Joe" Pena

May 23, 1932 – August 21, 2024

José (Joe) M. Peña, Jr. passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 surrounded by family and loved ones. José was born on May 23rd, 1932 in Laredo, Texas and spent the last twenty-three years of his life residing in Austin, Texas.

One of seven children, José was the son of José Sr. and Hortencia Garcia. José’s formative years were spent in Laredo, where he attended Martin High School. After graduating from Martin, he spent 4 years in the U.S. Air Force, including 2 years in Japan, leaving the Air Force in 1954. He used the G.I. Bill to pay for his education, graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 1958. Beginning in 1961, he served as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for 35 years, traveling and living in many countries, including Peru, Ecuador, Vietnam, Colombia, Panama, Pakistan, Egypt, and Kenya. After retiring from USAID, and before moving to Austin, he spent four years working for the Organization of American States in Washington D.C. (where among other things, he evaluated a demining project in Guatemala), as well as for private consulting companies specializing in evaluating and managing development projects throughout the world. He ended this phase of his life in 1993 as the director of a health project in Guatemala. He received numerous awards for his service to the United States, including a Meritorious Service Award for his service in Vietnam. After retiring to Austin, he started a second career as lecturer and author, writing two books: Inherit the Dust from the Four Winds of Revilla (2006) and In Pursuit of Improvements (2023).

José’s professional life was full of proud moments, but his proudest role was that of father, grandfather, and doting great-grandfather. He loved to write and talk about the events of the day. He traveled throughout Texas lecturing about genealogy. He also had a love of boxing (the “sweet science”). Most of all, he loved to tell stories and watch old movies with his son.

José was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline, and two of his four children: Linda and Gerardo (Jerry).

He is survived by his son, José M. Peña, III; daughter, Melissa; daughter-in-law, Luz-Sanchez-Peña; and granddaughters, Lauren Bucher Delaney and Estela Peña. He is also survived by Lauren’s husband, Andrew, their daughter, Natalie, and Estela’s fiancé, David Lantos.

A visitation for José will be held Friday, August 30, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2620 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704. The Recitation of the Holy Rosary will occur on the same day at 7:00 PM, 2620 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704. A Mass of Christian Burial will occur Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 11:00 AM at San Jose Catholic Church, 2435 Oak Crest Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704. Burial will occur on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 12:30 PM at Assumption Cemetery, 3650 S IH 35, Austin, Texas 78704.

His family asks for donations to be made to Bring Change to Mind (https://www.bringchange2mind.org/), which works to make a difference in the lives of mentally ill teens and adults.