Joe Botello

August 27, 1925 - February 24, 2023

Joe “Pepe” Botello Jr passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on February 24th, 2023. Joe was born in Encinal, Texas, on August 27th, 1925, as the oldest child of José Botello and Esmerenciana Arizola Botello. The family moved to Laredo in 1938. As a young man, he was classically trained in multiple instruments and performed for audiences professionally on both sides of the border.

On October 30th, 1943, he was inducted into the US Navy Seabees. During his World War II active service, he was part of their 27th Special Battalion CB Detachment 1036. He was honorably discharged on January 8th, 1946. He graduated from Martin High School in Laredo upon his return in May 1946 and enrolled at what was then called Texas A&I Kingsville. In 1950, he graduated with a degree in Economics and minored in Government and Sociology. He then moved to San Antonio, TX, where he worked at Allen &

Allen, the Quality Packing Company, and Kelly AFB before he was hired at the Defense Language Institute at Lackland AFB in 1955. He spent a long and fulfilling career at the DLI as an ESL instructor and supervisor with assignments worldwide before retiring. Many who were there during his tenure consider him the “godfather” of their program, which continues today.

A dedicated lifelong learner, Joe pursued and completed post-graduate work in linguistics and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the National University of Mexico in San Antonio, the GoetheInstitut in Istanbul, and Estudio Sampere Madrid. He was rarely found without a book. He spent his leisure time playing piano, composing music, writing fiction and nonfiction, and mastering new computing technologies.

In 1960, he met his wife, Ingrid Ruschke Botello, on a blind date at the beach in Brussels,

Belgium. They were legally married in Dover, England, by Her Majesty the Queen’s representative. When they returned to San Antonio, they had a ceremony at St. Mary’s Catholic Church along the River Walk. Joe and Ingrid were happily married for 63 years. They raised a family, traveled and lived together in many countries, enjoyed a rich social life, loved listening to music and opera together, dedicated themselves to adventures and interesting experiences, and spoke six languages fluently between the two of them.

Joe was a devoted family man who never failed to help anyone in need. He volunteered and taught adult and adolescent ESL classes at various local libraries, schools, Region

20, and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. He was proud of the Botello family’s Tejano lineage, which dates back to at least 1733 in what is now South Texas.

He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, quick and occasionally sarcastic wit, humor, and dignity. He is preceded in death by his parents, siblings (Ernestina “Tina” Botello Centeno and Agustín “Augie” Botello), and his daughter Rita Isabelle Botello. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and his youngest brother. The family wishes to thank his in-home hospice team for their wonderful help and care.

A graveside memorial service will occur at 11am on Wednesday, March 15th, 2023, at the Botello family plot at Mission San Jose Burial Park.