Jacinto Castillo

Beloved "Jac" was born in Tampico, Mexico to a family of 10 children. Depression era Mexico was a tough place to grow up where at ten years old he found himself peddling bananas, cactus, and fish to bring home a peso or two to help feed the family. Jacinto never went to high school but was accepted and graduated in graphic arts from the prestigious Academia San Carlos in Mexico City. Jac and his sweetheart Cira met in the summer of 1947 and were married in 1948. In order to better provide for his first two sons, Jac and Cira moved to Monterrey, Mexico in 1952, where the family eventually grew to six children. Jac emigrated to the United States in 1962 by way of San Antonio, Texas in an effort to provide better for his family. Cira and the children eventually moved to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, across the river from Laredo, Texas to be nearer to Jac and to obtain their own immigrant visas. It was in Nuevo Laredo where the seventh child was born.

Jac perfected his craft as a sign painter from 1962 to 1974 when he founded Aztec Sign Shop in South Houston, Texas. As a patron of many youth sports and social activities in South Houston, Jac’s passion was truly service to Alcoholics Anonymous where his example of 39 years of sobriety at the time of his passing helped many persons struggling with their own addiction. Jac founded the first Spanish speaking AA meeting in South Houston, Grupo Nueva Vida in 1982. Eventually, Jac served many AA groups in Houston and represented these at international AA meetings in Mexico. Jac passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by four daughters; Maria, Isabel, Teresa and Rosario, and three sons; Ricardo, Jose and Andres. Fare thee well, Jac.

A celebration of life will be held Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 4 PM to 8 PM at East Haven Funeral Home.

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