Ruben Sanchez Jr., loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend was called home by our Heavenly Father on February 15, 2021. He is preceded in death by his parents Ruben A. Sanchez and Enriqueta D. Sanchez.
Ruben was born November 28, 1948 in El Paso, Texas and graduated from Burges High School in 1967. This was also the same year that he met his high school sweetheart, Cindy Ponzio and proudly joined the Marine Corp Reserve, where he honorably served his country. In1969, Ruben and Cindy were married and together they built their lives and pursued their dreams. That same year, Ruben, a third-generation railroader, began his career with Southern Pacific and Santa Fe. Eventually, he retired with forty plus years of service from Union Pacific in 2010.
In his early years, Ruben enjoyed outdoor activities such as: hunting, fishing, and golf. He was known for his love of the Houston Texans and beloved Yankees.
Ruben and Cindy lived their entire lives in El Paso until just recently when they moved to Houston, Texas in October 2019. As challenging as this move was, as much as they knew they would miss their hometown, it was a dream come true. For this dream, turned reality and enabled them to live close by their sons and grandchildren. In this short year, they created beautiful new memories and spent precious time together.
Ruben was a man who loved God. Virtuous qualities such as integrity, loyalty, and honorableness are what made him so loved and respected by all who knew him. Ruben was a dedicated family-man, a hard worker, and great provider. Whether it was love & encouragement, words of advice or financial support, he always made sure his family was taken care of. The works of Ruben’s hands displayed compassion and generosity not only to his family and friends, but also complete strangers. Ruben never missed an opportunity to show people that he cared.
Ruben lived a fulfilled life and was profoundly loved by many. He will be extremely missed but will live on in our thoughts and hearts forever.
Ruben is survived by the love of his life, Cindy Sanchez, whom he was married to for fifty-one years. He also leaves behind his two beloved sons and their families; Jay Sanchez, wife, Lisa, daughters Savannah Sanchez and Paige Parra-Newton, husband, Juan; and Ryan Sanchez, wife, Malory, daughters Gianna “Gigi” and Mila, his beloved mother-in-law, Viola Ponzio, and sister-in-law, Myra Long (Joseph).
Ruben is also survived by his siblings, Rebecca Beltran (David), Rachel Armendariz (Ruben), Roland Sanchez (Patsy), and Rene Sanchez (Debbie), as well as aunts, nephews, nieces, and many cousins. Ruben will most certainly be missed by his railroad brothers and his life-long neighborhood friends from Clardy Fox.

Services will be provided by:
Rosewood Funeral Home – Atascocita
17404 W Lake Houston, Pkwy.
Atascocita, TX 77346
Service Times:
Friday, March 12, 2021
4:00 PM
Virtual service link:
https://www.rosewood.cc
Church Service:
St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church
527 S Houston Ave
Humble, TX 77338
Saturday, March 13, 2021
11:00 AM