Marcial, known by family and friends by his childhood nickname Chalin, was born to Marcial Salazar Balderas and Maria de los Angeles Silva on September 24, 1948. He was raised by his mother and grandmother after the untimely death of his father prior to his birth. He had a sister who preceded him and who died in infancy.
Chalin graduated from the Academia Comercial Felix B. Lozano in Allende, Nuevo Leon. He married Sanjuana Muñoz Salazar in January 27, 1974, and they lived together in Houston, Texas, and raised three daughters.
He is survived by his wife Sanjuana, and daughters Maria Martinez (Cesar Martinez), Nelida Castillo (Teodoro Castillo), Maribel Salazar (Aaron Jumani). He also leaves five grandchildren to cherish his memory, Miranda Martinez, Sara Martinez, Lorenzo Castillo, Victoria Castillo and Isaac Jumani.
He was preceded in death by Marcial Salazar Balderas (father), Maria de los Angeles Silva (mother), and Isidra Salazar (grandmother). He had close ties to many aunts and uncles, as well as countless cousins, compadres, and lifelong friends.
Chalin met his wife at a light bulb factory in Monterrey, Mexico. They married after a five-year courtship and honeymooned in Acapulco, Mexico. In the years that followed, he worked in Victoria, Texas, before settling his family in Houston, Texas.
Chalin, also known as Sal by his coworkers, retired as a truck driver from Pasadena Tank Corp. in 2011. Through his work, he traveled throughout the U.S. He also enjoyed frequent road trips to his hometown in Mexico and to visit family in Lindsey, California, and Victoria, Texas.
He famously took lengthier and longer routes to avoid Houston traffic even if none likely existed, and always reminded his daughters to drive carefully. He loved his Ford F-150, even with all the dents and scratches added by those he allowed to drive his truck.
In retirement, he travelled with his wife and family to California, Virginia and the east coast (D.C., Boston, and Cape Cod). He visited Mexico (San Miguel de Allende), Canada (Quebec City and Montreal) and England (Manchester, London and Liverpool). He often visited his home in Los Sabinos to see his many friends and family.
He was a friendly, lighthearted jokester. He passed his days keeping in contact with family and friends and reminiscing by looking through family photos. He often saw his beloved Houston Astros at Minute Maid field, including during the 2017 World Series. He often told about his childhood years listening to baseball radio and how he could only imagine what the playing field looked like and what a diamond had to do with it.
He loved adding extra pecans to his Blue Bell Butter Pecan ice cream, milk and donuts, eating chicken style Rio Ramos and drinking Coronas. He enjoyed listening to his collection of Mexican polka and corrido music, and reading about history, science, world facts, and nature. He tended his garden and befriended the creatures that shared his land. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to a charity of your choice.
Visitation will be held on May 19, 2021 at 5:00 pm at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX. Funeral Service will be held on May 20, 2021 at 10:00 am at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, 11720 Joan of Arc Dr, Houston, TX. Committal Service will be held on May 20, 2021 at 11:30 am at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX.
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