One year Stella and I dressed up as Luis for Halloween with his signature bow tie, name tag and USB stick. Luis loved it!

He was such a dear friend and wonderful colleague. Always dedicated to his students. We could not go anywhere in Houston but a former student would come to say "hi" and how much they enjoyed his classes. 

Luis was my first friend in Houston twenty-some years ago. The department chair made Luis move out of his office so I could move in....and he was still friendly to me.

Luis was the first to come to my aid when my house flooded during Harvey. He found people to help me and then brought me lunch multiple days as I dealt with contractors. 

Luis valued his friends. Rather than buy expensive Opera seats for himself, he would buy a dozen "cheap" seats and invite all his friends for a night at the Opera. 

Luis was always looking for ways to help others. I remember a news story about pride flags being stolen/destroyed from a church in Houston. Luis just ordered more and took them to the church. That is who Luis was--a kind and considerate soul. 

He is missed.

Dr. Salinas was not only my Professor at UH, but he was also a mentor to me and is the reason I started running. We would always talk about his races and experiences when we had down time in class and he encouraged me to take it up. 20+ years later, I am still running. 

We quickly became friends outside of the classroom and I would run into him at different races around the city. He was always so nice and genuine. I admired him
and looked up to him for the person that he was.  I will never forget how he changed me and his friendship. I hope he’s at peace and forever soaring high like an eagle. Peace to you my friend.

Rebeca Yzquierdo

Louis (aka Dr Speedy), we spent many hours running together though the streets and trails of Houston. You were always an upbeat happy running partner and a considerate  friend. We had so many conversations and lots and lots  of laughs through the years. We may not have agreed on everything, but the mutual respect and understanding was apparent. Know that you will be missed and I am better for having spent time with you. Godspeed my friend.

Love, Lt. Lightening (aka Jennifer)

To my fellow student senator I pray that you are looking down and maybe   a smile not a big laugh and wonder what  the hell  I left behind.  Well my friend , You have many friends that will miss you such as I.  I wish you well in your next journey.  May you RIP.

My condolences to his son and other family members and close friends. I attended college with Luis in the 1970's and later was a colleague of his in that he taught courses in the Sociology Department at the University of Houston when I was the Associate Director at the Center for Mexican American Studies at UH. Luis was always upbeat and friendly and was well-liked by the other professors and students. May he rest in peace.

Our last get-together with Luis.  Luis called me the next day to say how much seeing us meant to him.  We will always miss him.

I knew Luis for more than 30 years, and he was one of my great loves.  We dated for many years starting about 27 years ago, and among the many qualities I found attractive about him were our shared values, his intellect and accomplishments, and his sense of humor and inherent kindness.  He was a phenomenal professor; I can’t count the number of times when we were out when a student approached him talking about how impactful he had been. Ultimately, our age difference proved too much to sustain our relationship, and we moved on.  We kept in touch over the years, on birthdays and such, and we both wished each other well in our respective marriages.  When my son was born, I let Luis know, because I knew he was always rooting for me to be a mom.  In the last years of his life, Luis and I spent a lot of time together.  We healed old wounds, and he spent a lot of time with my son, Peter, and me.  He drew great pleasure from time with Peter, and he and I spent time talking to each other in a way that was easy and uncomplicated, the way we did so many years ago, in addition to addressing deeper life issues that come up as you get older.  I know how much he loved his children, Alejandra and Luis, and how much he adored his two grandsons. I will miss him for the rest of my life, and I hope he knows how much I loved him and how much Peter loved “Luz”. Peter looks at the sky now and waves to him, just like he does to my parents, and tells them all that he loves them.

I minored in sociology. Somewhere around 2008-2010 I found myself wanting to take as many classes with Dr. Salinas as I possibly could. He was the kind of professor who made a lasting impression, not just because of what he taught, but because of how he taught and the importance he gave to his students.

As the VP of our campus' UNICEF chapter at UH, I was so grateful when Dr. Salinas graciously agreed to be our faculty sponsor. He showed up for our events, supported our efforts, and continued to keep in touch with me long after I graduated in 2010. He believed in my potential and over time became so much more than a professor. He became my friend.

I will always remember his signature bow ties and how he would proudly announce in lecture that we would never catch him wearing the same one twice. I feel incredibly fortunate that our paths crossed. He was one of those rare people who made others feel seen and believed in--that is a gift that stays with you long after the classroom is behind you.

Thank you, Dr. Salinas for believing in me, for your friendship, and for the lasting impact you had on my life. You will be remembered with so much love and gratitude. Rest in peace. Sending my deepest condolences to his family ❤️

I am deeply saddened by Luis's death.  We have been friends and colleagues for many years.  We taught in different departments at the University of Houston, shared a love for culture,  and loved good food.  I will miss our conversations and friendship.  May he rest in peace.  Dr. Helen M. Gore-Laird

Luis had a wonderful sense of humor, and we always joked about his hatred of anything pumpkin spice related.  May his memory be eternal.

I  am so sorry for the passing of a great person Luis was a family friend for many years and he was always a great hang and a warm smile

OBITUARY

Luis L. Salinas II

August 21, 1952 – October 7, 2026

Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home

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