Hector M Siqueiros

Hector M. Siqueiros, 83, was born on February 13, 1940 in Tucson, Arizona to Lydia Mendez and Frank Siqueiros. He passed away on November 15, 2023 at home with his family after a 10-month battle with colon cancer.

Hector’s first language was Spanish (he was very proud of his Mexican heritage). Not until he entered elementary school did he begin to learn English. And, with the encouragement of his junior high teacher, Mrs. Jensen, he further mastered English by reading books and referencing a dictionary frequently for the next 10 years. Also in those early years, he and his brother, Frank, would have many adventures in the Tucson area. Stories of these exploits and other stories were often repeated by Hector later in his life and then documented in a book entitled, Riding the Rails: and 41 Other Waggish Tales. Always an athlete, he pitched on his high baseball team and continued pitching on a Tucson team for several years.

After receiving his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona, Hector applied and was accepted to the United States Navy as an officer candidate. After training in Rhode Island, Lieutenant Siqueiros was assigned to a naval troupe carrier whose mission was to transport Marines and helicopters from Los Angeles to Vietnam. It was in LA that Hector met Sandy. After this assignment was over, he brushed up on his Portuguese and applied for assignment in Brazil. Happily he and his wife, Sandy, left on their long journey to Rio de Janeiro where Hector was an officer liaison to the Brazilian Naval Academy and taught English as a second language to the cadets. During that time, his son, Marcos, was born. But Naval assignments do come to an end.

So, in the Fall of 1969, Hector left for Vietnam. He served many functions there one of which was commanding a gun boat on the Meikong river. In Spring of 1970, his daughter, Penny, was born while Sandy was staying near relatives in Iowa.

When he returned to the States, Hector left the Navy and settled the family in Tucson. However, he wanted to give his children the opportunity to experience life in a different culture so he took the family to Germany where he worked as a representative for an American company to American military bases. This job furthered his career in outside sales. And, offered the family the opportunity to travel to several countries in Europe. After living in Germany for 4 years, the family returned to the US; but this time to Florida.

In 1976, his family moved into a lovely home in Altamonte Springs, Florida. A few months later, Hector was recruited by the 3M Corporation as an outside sales representative to Central and Northern Florida cities and counties. For the next 25 years, Hector would sell signage and road markings to these cities and counties. He valued his work because he liked the fact that the products that he sold helped keep the streets and highways safe for motorists. He also enjoyed the freedom to set his own schedule while not being tied to an office. Hector’s natural empathy for the needs of others people paid off with top sales awards and customers who stayed loyal to 3M products.

In 1983, Marcos was in college and Penny was in high school and Hector and Sandy divorced. Both parents supported their son’s and daughter’s choices to further their education. Marc became of Doctor of Internal Medicine and Penny chose a career as a college softball coach.

Hector’s love of baseball began in the 1950’s when he would listen to the then Brooklyn Dodgers on the radio. Every baseball season he cheered for the Dodgers—through every win and loss. Hector also supported the softball teams that Penny coached, the Emory Eagles and the Wesleyan Wolves. He loved the role of cheerleader to the whole team and went to as many games as possible.

Hector and Dale Ann knew each other socially for several years before they began dating. Their shared interests in home life, travel and books, as well as Hector’s natural charm, helped them to fall in love for the second time around. They married in 2002.

With retirement came the opportunity to play golf and travel. Trips to see professional baseball games in 17 stadiums across the US were part of the plan. Vacations to Mexico, China, Argentina and Chile, Italy, Cuba and the Caribbean were all enjoyed. Then there were trips to Georgia and other states to cheer at softball regionals, semi-regionals and finals. He also spent many hours managing his rental properties always responding quickly to the needs of his renters.

For Hector, retirement also brought an opportunity to give back to his community by chairing the landscape committee at his condominium as well as writing and distributing a monthly newsletter. He also taught English for Speakers of Other Languages(ESOL) at Hope CommUnity Center for 3 years.

Hector is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Frank, his sister, Rosalie, and his close friend, Barbara Kazerowski. He is survived by his wife, Dale Ann, his sister, Yolanda(Joe), his son, Marcos(Robert), his daughter, Penny(Jessica) and many nieces and nephews.

Hector’s family thanks the Advent Health doctors and staff, the Advent Health Hospice team, and the Florida Cancer Specialists for their dedicated care of Hector.

In lieu of flowers, please make charitable donations to:

Hope CommUnity Center

1016 N. Park Ave.

Apopka, FL 32712

hcc-offm.org(click on donations)

A Celebration of Hector’s life will take place at 1:00pm on Sunday, December 10, 2023 at the Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home, 90 Weathersfield Ave. Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714.