Heriberto Amaya

Heriberto Amaya peacefully passed with his family by his side on December 19, 2022 at the age of eighty-nine. He was born to the late Lisandro and Catalina Amaya on March 16, 1933 in Bayview, Texas.

Heriberto was the son of sharecroppers and was a graduate of San Benito High School, Class of 1952. His university studies were interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. When Heriberto completed his military service, he returned to Texas A&I University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy with a minor in Chemistry. Heriberto was the first in his family to graduate from the university.

He worked as a metallurgist at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. In 1974, he moved his family to San Benito where he began his career as a chemist at Duro Paper in Brownsville. His favorite job was as a soil scientist in Liberty, Texas.

Heriberto loved the outdoors and passed down that appreciation for nature to his children. He enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening, and woodworking. However, his greatest joy in life were his wife and children. He taught his children to love and take care of each of other

Heriberto is preceded in death by his grandson, Matthew Owen Amaya; his parents, Lisandro and Catalina Amaya; brothers, José, Francisco, Luis, and Sixto Amaya; and sisters, Victoria Ratliff, Salina Castillo, and Eva Villanueva.

Left to treasure Heriberto’s memory and legacy is his loving wife of sixty-one years, Tina Amaya; his children, Analiza Amaya-Diaz (Ron), Herb Amaya (Brenda), Cindy Amaya (Rob Crosby), and Michael Amaya (Dori); grandchildren, Melanie Amaya, Abraham Amaya, Adam Amaya, Alexandrea Rodriguez, Noah Diaz, Keller Benitez, Michael Amaya Jr., Alyssa Amaya, Nicole Amaya, Nathaniel Amaya, and Zachary Amaya. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren: Ryan, Reagan, and Randi Rodriguez; Devinie, Axel, and Augustus Amaya; Ellie Torrez, Elijah Amaya, and Matthew Amaya.

Heriberto’s family wishes to thank the Veteran’s Administration Hospital staff – Peggy Sue Andress, Cynthia Alvarez, Carmen Llerandi Phipps, Josy, the physical therapist, and Douglas.

The Amaya family will receive relatives and friends Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home. A recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin Thursday evening at 7 o’clock. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, December 23, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Theresa Catholic Church. Rite of Committal and interment with full military honors will follow at Mont Meta Memorial Park.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Abraham Amaya, Adam Amaya, Ryan Heriberto Rodriguez, Michael Amaya, Jr., Nathaniel Amaya, and Abel Martinez. Honorary pallbearers are Adrian Amaya, Eddie Amaya, Betty Glover, Sherry Gergen, Jimmy Amaya, Homer Saldivar, Javier Saldivar, Carlos Pacheco, Victor Torres, Aaron Dickens, James Dickens, Fernando Amaya, Michael De la Rosa, Daniel De la Rosa, Travis Bowery, Johnny Saldivar, Noah Diaz, Rocky Saldivar, and Zach Amaya.

Click the link below "Recitation of the Holy Rosary" to view the service via livestream.

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