Antonio M. Vargas

The son of Cleofas Vargas and Porfiria Mata, Antonio Mata Vargas was born on September 4, 1931 in San Antonio, TX into a family of eleven children. He transitioned into the arms of his Lord and Savior on June 30, 2022.

Tony was blessed with a large and loving family. Married twice, he raised nine children with patience and love, has 15 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Tony was born and raised in San Antonio, his childhood home was a two-bedroom house, located on East Crockett Street near the Joe Freeman Coliseum. He attended Fox Tech High School where he met Josefina with whom he would later wed and start a family.

Prior to his 18th birthday, Tony joined the US Air Force and proudly served his country for 22 years retiring as a Master Sergeant. During his enlistment he was assigned to numerous duty locations in the US and overseas. He took part in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars on the ground or in support units. In Vietnam he was embedded in the Civil Engineering division with a mission to build runways, housing, and other military assets; he was later stationed in Taiwan with his family before returning to the US to finish his military career.

His marriage to Josefina began with meager possessions and plenty of struggles. They worked hard and sacrificed but with determination and devotion they were always able to provide for their growing family. Together they raised their children in the Catholic faith and did whatever they could to help them succeed in life.

Upon retirement from military service, he and his family returned to San Antonio and settled in the community surrounding St Peters Prince of the Apostles Church which would serve as the cornerstone for raising his children, community involvement, and his new career with the Parks and Recreation Department.

Tony worked as a construction supervisor for the city for approximately 22 years. During this time, he supervised the building and redevelopment of many of San Antonios precious landmarks to include the Riverwalk, Sunken Gardens, the Missions, and numerous city parks.

In support of the community, Tony used his skills as a carpenter to help his childrens schools with repairs or small projects. He even crafted a harp for the music room. He also volunteered as a coach for the boys CYO baseball team, teaching the fundamentals of the game and instilling confidence in the young players

Tony had many life goals. One of his most ambitious ones was to build a large country home in Pipe Creek, TX. It was a daunting task to undertake and took years to complete even with help from family and friends. It was eventually completed in the early 1980s and was a site to see. He raised cattle, pigs and grew wheat on the property. It had a ranch/farm quality which gave many "city folk" a glimpse into what he called the "country life".

In 1989, Tony embarked on a new journey with his second wife Betty. The family moved to Missouri and although retired, he was not afraid of taking on new challenges. Together, they constructed a new home, a modern-day log cabin on a hill overlooking 165 acres. Never an idle man, he found great pleasure in growing gardens, fruit trees, and keeping various animals on the land. He had a devotion to the outdoors and spent much of his time viewing the landscape he cultivated with simple but sincere happiness.

His high standards and relentless hard work always made an impact on the endeavors he undertook. It showed others what could be done and often inspired them to do more. At the age of 76, he was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the United Way of San Antonio for serving his military community in excess of 6000 hours of service. He lived a full life, touched many people as a father, brother, uncle, grandfather, coach, mentor, defender and provider. His presence will be dearly missed.

He is survived by his wife Betty M. Vargas, his former spouse, Josefina K. Dong, his children and their spouses: Edward Vargas (Maggie); Mary Jo Vargas (Randy); Diana Estrello (Ruben); Carol Eldridge (Frank); Teresa Johnson (Thomas); Gilbert Vargas (Pauline); Samuel Vargas (Lynn); Daniel Vargas; stepson Wesley Purvis (Desi), two brothers; Eddie Vargas (Orfa) and Raymond Vargas (Roxana), and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers, and one sister. The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday, July 28, 2022, at Porter Loring Mortuary.In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to the Charity of your choice in "Tonys memory".

ROSARY

THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2022

7:00 PM

PORTER LORING CHAPEL

MASS

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2022

10:00 AM

ST. PETER PRINCE OF THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH