John William Theall

John was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 23, 1934, the only child of Frances (King) and William Theall. His father was from Lake Charles and was employed with Southern Pacific Railroad, and John had a lifelong love of trains and train travel. He spent many summers in Louisiana with his Ohio grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins. John lived in Cleveland until he was thirteen, and his Dad decided to escape the cold winters and moved the family to Houston.

John attended St. Thomas High School, where his deep Catholic faith was nourished and where he made many lifelong friends and played clarinet in the band. He also was a great bowler on the bowling team. He graduated and received a B.S. from the University of St. Thomas and later his Masters from the University of Houston.

He taught advanced classes of biology and chemistry in Louisiana and Texas, and student teachers at the University of Houston. At Jones High School, Houston, he met the love of his life, Sylvia Moratto, who was a student teacher there in 1961. They were married on December, 29, 1962, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Galveston. He loved the island where the couple spent many happy times at their beach condo. John was a proud father of his two daughters, Tracy and Michelle. He was the doting PaPa to his grandchildren, Hailey, Hunter and Logan and great grandson, River. The couple lived in New Jersey, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. They loved to travel, and John was so proud of having visited all 50 states. The couple traveled the US but made several trips to Europe, including both northern and southern Italy where John’s and Sylvia’s families immigrated to the US in the early 1900’s. A descendant of both Italian and Cajun cultures, John had a great love of both pasta and gumbo!

John had a long and successful career both in teaching and in the corporate world. He enjoyed working in the education division of NASA in the early days of the Space Program. Later he entered the corporate world when he became an science editor at Silver Burdett Publishing Company in Morristown, New Jersey.. He climbed the corporate ladder and served at various times as editor, product manager and Texas Regional Manager before he retired. He made lifelong friends and was respected and loved by his representatives and managed one of the most successful elementary science textbook adoptions in Texas history. He received numerous company awards.

John loved music. He had a beautiful tenor voice and enjoyed singing in church choirs, particularly Holy Trinity Adult Choir and with the San Antonio Master Singers where he sang with the group at Carnegie Hall. He was delighted when grandchildren Hailey and Hunter majored in music at Texas Tech. He also had a great love of history and was a founder of The History Book Club at The Club at Sonterra. He also served as president of the Sonterra POA Board. He researched his family’s genealogy and hosted a large Theall family reunion, and he hosted a reunion of retired Silver Burdett sales force. He was an active member of Holy Trinity Parish, a lector and a member of both the 3rd and 4th degree KC Councils

John was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was kind and loved helping others to be successful.

He was preceded in death by his parents and mother and father-in law, Annie and Attilio Moratto. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sylvia, his daughters Tracy Theall Stockton and Michelle Theall, in-laws Rick Stockton, Amy Thompson, grandchildren Hailey and Hunter Stockton, Logan Theall and great grandson, River Stockton Rodriguez, sister-in-law, Frances Bogatto, nephews, Barron (Jana) and Richard Bogatto (Teresa), niece Leslie Bogatto Hemenway (Cullan), many relatives and friends.

Viewing and rosary at Sunset North Funeral Home, 910 Loop 1604 East beginning at 5 p.m. and a Mass of the Resurrection 10 a.m., Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 20523 Huebner Road.

The family is grateful for the loving kindness and care by the doctors and nurses at North Central Baptist Hospital and at Vitas Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made in John’s name to the University of St. Thomas Science Dept., 3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston, Texas, or Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 20523 Huebner Rd., San Antonio or American Heart Association.

A visitation for John will be held Wednesday, October 19, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Sunset North Funeral Home, 910 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, TX 78232, with a Rosary at 6:00 PM. A funeral mass will occur Thursday, October 20, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 20523 Huebner Rd, San Antonio, TX 78258 followed by a Committal Service at 3:30 PM at Sunset Memorial Park, 1701 Austin Hwy, San Antonio, TX 78218.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.SunsetNorthFuneralHome.com for the Theall family.