Ruben M. Hernandez

Ruben M. Hernandez, age 72, of San Antonio, Texas passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. He was born on July 10, 1952 in Pigeon, Michigan. He was the first child to Guadalupe M. Hernandez and the late Julio Hernandez. His late brother is Jose Luis Hernandez of San Antonio, Texas, late sister Elizabeth Ann Lopez of San Antonio, Texas, sister Maria Elena Jaramillo of San Antonio, Texas, and sister Julie Heller of Thornton, Colorado. He was married to the late Mary Gloria Hernandez with whom he had two children: Ruben L. Hernandez and Michael R. Hernandez. He is survived by three grandchildren: Arianna Hernandez, Andrew Hernandez, and Zachary Hernandez. He is a descendent of Ramon Hernandez, one of the founding fathers of the San Antonio 1800s Trail Blazers – the original Wells Fargo Courier Teams (first wagon freighters) in the Southwest.

Ruben graduated from Medina Valley High School in Castroville, Texas. In his early years, he was a singer in a band called Fade to Blues. He worked as a migrant worker in his teenage years picking tomatoes in Ohio for Hunts and cleaning the sugar beets fields in Michigan for Pioneer Sugar Company.

After high school, Ruben received a two-year scholarship from the Citizens for Better Government of Medina Valley to attend St. Philip's College in San Antonio, Texas. While at St. Philip’s College, Ruben focused on x-ray technology classes. He received an Honor Award in Recognition of Special Distinction for Outstanding Scholarship from St. Philip’s College. Ruben graduated from St. Philip’s College with an Associate’s Degree and concentrated on radiologic technology, and he graduated in 1984 from Southwest Texas State University (renamed to Texas State University) with a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences. He started working on his master’s degree at Texas State University.

Ruben worked at University Hospital in San Antonio, Texas for 37 years. He was passionate about working as an x-ray technologist at the cardiac cath lab. A heart cath is a procedure used to determine how well a person’s heart -including heart muscles, heart valves, and blood vessels- are working. Ruben helped save lives, and he was well-respected by his colleagues from the hospital’s leadership team to the janitors. Ruben purposely decided to work at a public hospital that was operated by Bexar County to help “La Raza,” the poor, the illiterate, and people from different races and cultures. Ruben prided himself in his success and being able to financially provide for his family.

Due to Ruben’s commitment and love of his work, he eventually became the president of the Alamo Area Society of Radiologic Technologists. In his tenure as the president, he had three major accomplishments. First, Ruben was the spokesperson for the organization where he testified at the Capitol regarding bills that were being voted on by the Texas congress to speaking at conventions advancing radiologic technologies and cardiac cath lab activities. Second, he received an award from that organization for his “outstanding contribution, untiring efforts, and excellent leadership” from 1993 to 1995. Third, Ruben was very proud when he was recognized by the San Antonio, Texas Mayor Nelson Wolff. In 1993, Mayor Wolff issued a City of San Antonio Proclamation from November 8th to the 14th of 1993 to be the “National Radiologic Technology Week in San Antonio, Texas, and commend[ed] the members of the Alamo Area Society of Radiologic Technologists and, their President, Ruben M. Hernandez, and for their contributions to the well-being of our-citizens.” Mayor Wolff further proclaimed that “accurate and timely diagnoses are keys in applying effective cures, treatment, and therapy for illnesses; and Radiological Technologists who are skilled in anatomy, physics, and body mechanics, play an important role that allows physicians to make accurate and timely diagnoses.” Ruben was honored for being recognized by the mayor for his efforts in helping serve the community.

Due to Ruben’s expertise in cardiac cath lab and radiologic technologies, he was an instructor at St. Philip’s College, provided continuing education, and trained students at the University Hospital, which is a teaching hospital. He worked at Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio, Texas as a consultant. His son, Ruben, followed in his footsteps by going into the field of radiologic technology and works as a Computed Tomography (CT) Technologist.

After retirement, Ruben volunteered as a chaplain at University Hospital and a hospital in Seguin, Texas. He enjoyed working on his Lytle, Texas ranch with his son Michael. On the ranch, Ruben had a large garden and he frequently rode on his tractor. Ruben was excited when his mother held her 90th birthday party on his ranch. He enjoyed visiting family in Michigan and spending time at South Padre Island, Texas with his granddaughter Arianna Hernandez.

As for the funeral services, visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm at Trevino Funeral Home, 226 Cupples Rd., San Antonio, TX 78237. A rosary service will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 starting at 7:00 pm at Trevino Funeral home.

On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, a funeral mass will be held at 10:00 am at St. Louis Catholic Church, 610 Madrid St, Castroville, TX 78009. After the funeral mass, interment will immediately follow at Saint Louis Cemetery in Castroville, Texas.