Goodbye and rest in peace, Jose

a huge loss for the longhorn community, and a good friend of mine... absolutely, one of the finest
people i ever met.... our thoughts are with the family and friends everywhere...
David and Lisa Gideon Sulphur Springs Texas.
 
Ive never met Jose either but as a true Longhorn fan that he was attending all those games for years should be remembered for always in the Longhorn spirit.I hope their can be some kind of moment of silence for the first UT game.I dont think it will hurt the school especially for someone who was always supporting the Longhorns through the best and worst of times like Jose. Rest in peace Jose and God bless you and your family...HOOK'EM HORNS forever
 
You know it's funny but I can't remember how I met Jose. I truly can't. Just one day he was in my life and has continued to be there and will continue to be there always. I think that is one of the many beautiful qualities of Jose, he was just there as a friend one day and then continues to be forever. Somehow his presence always made my "UT world" complete. Emily has never been to a UT event that Jose wasn't there yelling "Em" at her, now he's going to just have to yell a little louder (Oh Lord)!

I will always have his laughter and his smile in my heart along with a lot of great memories. We are now all in the arms of an Angel.

Keep those Horns up in Heaven, Jose!
 
I had the chance to get to know jose in the gingerman, when i just came in from switzerland/europe to spend some time in dallas. He was the reason that i had so much fun in texas and met a lot of his friends. i always remember my first football game we went to, or the long baseball nights, even i still not understand the rules...sorry jose. whenever i returned to the states we managed to meet and to drink some beers together. jose, i loose a true american friend and dallas is just no more the same without you....
peter schnellmann, zurich, switzerland
 
To all of Jose's friends and family, I met him and several other Longhorn fans her in Omaha several years back. Too many to remember. I have looked forward to seeing each one of them every year at the CWS, but none more than Jose. His genuine warmth and smile always there to greet you. I was sorry to hear of his illness this year and am sorry to see him go. I am sure that he is in a much better place. He will truly be missed.

Ann Koster
Omaha, NE
 
Jose,

During your rosary I asked for a sign from you that you were okay. A couple of minutes later my wife told me to
quit twirling and playing around with the little Texas flag your family provided us. I was instantly embarrassed, as I had not realized I had been fooling around with that flag during a solemn moment. But, you know what? Maybe it was you brother, waving the flag you loved so much at your own service. Your spirit was so strong I would not doubt it for the moment. Maybe you were answering me.

If you really can talk to us Jose, just tell me one more thing. Is it true that Dana X. Bible coaches God's football team? I heard a rumor that he does. Well, even if he doesn't, I know who the head cheerleader is, and so do you. Congratulations on your promotion.
 
Dear friends,

As y'all were paying tribute to José Antonio Peña (actually while y'all were drinking beer at Schulzs´) I rode my bike home from work as usual, and the family consumed homemade Tex-Mex tacos, and then I put on a long sleeve (it's cool in the evenings here) burnt orange baseball t-shirt that I kind of borrowed from José about 5 years ago,and then pulled on my # 60 Tommy Nobis jersey that José bought for me about 8 years ago, then I went out and planted two yellow rose bushes to honor the most dedicated friend I have ever had!

I've been planning on going to Texas for 2 weeks in Oct. for UT-ou weekend, the osu game, and back to Austin for the Colorado game, not to mention the Cowboys game on Monday night against the Redskins. I can't grasp the reality of it yet that I won't be going with José. I never had any traditional way of going to the Longhorns games until I met José. The game was usually preceeded by a night at Rose's house with Bobby, Sheryl, José, and whoever else he had drug in, be it Nebraska fans, Robert, or whatever other trash (just kidding) he found along the road side. And nothing was better in the mornings than Rose's breakfast tacos with eggs and chorizo, and then of course on to the parking garage with most of y'all in attendence. Other than short trips to Houston, and bfe/collie station, I only recall two long road trips to games with José. The ´90 Penn St. game where it all started (Shock the Nation Tour), and the last baseball series in Arkansas (I think we won 2 of 3 in ´91 ?). Therefore, I was hoping that osu would be another fun one. The Cowboys games always started at some warehouse/storage parking lot with lots of beer, where we usually met Robert, or Bobby. Then with a beer in each hand we walked down the road to where we crossed the feeder to 183, and then down a grassy/muddy slope under the bridge of 183 and the over an exit from the hwy. I always thought that was the most unusual trek to a football stadium, but it was the cheapest, and there was always a parking spot, and I haven't been another way since I met José.

The last time I saw José was at his 50th B-day in Dallas, and he took Monday off work so we could hang out with our hang overs in front of his tv and at my grandma's apt complex swimming pool. I got to suprise him for his B.-day even though Bill and Ranji (sp?) tried to spoil it. I really got him good! While we were closing The Ginger Man down I kidded him that he'd be 65 when I turned 50, so as you can see this really sucks!

HOOK'EM HORNS and lets get the Big prize for José this season.
We miss ya man!
Blake, Vibeke, Emma, Dagmar, and Martha

#1 Texas fan in Denmark
 
My son, Scott, called me today to tell me the news about Jose. He had heard it on the Sam & Bob radio broadcast. He directed me to this website. . . I can't remember how many years ago (maybe 22) it has been since we first met Jose - a member of the Wild Bunch at the baseball games. Scott was very young and impressionable--Jose would carry Scott on his shoulders. So, for those of you who sit in section 107, that "Cowboy" was taught how to be a Longhorn fan in part, by Jose. Scott's Dad played a big role in that Longhorn education as well, and I know he was at the gates of Heaven to greet Jose. So with Richard and Jose up there rooting our Horns on, how could we not be National Champs! God Bless You, Jose
Cathey Horsak
 
I met Jose in 1993 at the Disch. The whole Wild Bunch that I knew was amazing, but Jose was simply unique. My buddy Jay and I made the road trip to Omaha and we partied all week with Jose. I haven't been to many games in recent years but remember his stories well. Jose defines what it means to be a Texas Longhorn. I will think of him anytime I make it to the Disch, for that is where I met him. God bless-
Mike Foster
 
Due to obligations of motherhood (Mom's taxi service) I was unable to attend the services but my thoughts and prayers were with everyone. On Wednesday evening as I was being the ref for my child's church volleyball game I looked across the street and there flew the Texas flag. I got tears in my eyes. For as long as I've had season tickets for Baseball I've known Jose. I can't believe I won't be seeing peanuts flying across me anymore.

My favorite Jose story was the very first TEXAS v. TCU game at the Ballpark in Arlington. The stadium Nazis were not real happy about the way certain members of the Wild Bunch were voicing their opinion of TCU and the umpires. I was sitting close to Jose and he turned to his friend and was asking a question about a certain remark that was made and the Stadium Nazi nailed him. As long as I've been around I've never known Jose to use that kind of language. As he was being led up the stadium steps we all starting chanting "Save Jose, Save Jose." I don't remember who now, but someone pleaded successfuly with the Stadium Nazis and Jose got to return to the game.

God bless you Jose!

Leslie

Macht nichts
 
Billy "Sure" Schott, everyone's favorite UT kicker (believe me, he would have accepted an invitation to the Playboy mansion) related this story about Jose at Sholtz's yesterday: (Forgive me for any errors)

I think Billy said that is was the early 80s when the Wild Bunch was attending a series up in Arlington. The annnouncer there had a standard announcement after each foul ball that was dinged into the stands -- "Please return all balls to the field" in a stoic, Wally-esque voice.

The Wild Bunch, of course, could not let such a fat pitch over the center of the plate go. Jose, being a big tennis buff, managed to get a box full of tennis balls from his local club or something. The Wild Bunch spent the night writing "Hook 'em" and "OU Sucks" and "Will Rogers never met Barry Switzer", etc. with Sharpies on the sides of the balls. They also got a few blow-up beach balls, even one shaped like a football from the local Walmart or something.

Of course, the next day everyone is "armed" and ready for the first foul ball, which didn't come until very late in the game -- the sixth inning or so. But when it did and the announcer gave his stoic "Please return all balls to the field" -- the field was, of course, pounded with hundreds of tennis balls and Billy even punted the blow-up football onto the field. When the torrent of balls was finally complete, the announcer simply said, as always, "Thank You."

The UTA ball-babes apparently came out on the field and gathered up all of the tennis balls and tossed them back all over the stands, as if they were some sort of give-away by a corporate sponsor. Many a happy young kid that day got a complimentary "OU Sucks" tennis ball courtesy of Jose and the Wild Bunch.

As if that story wasn't enough, it doesn't end there. The weather kicked up at the game the next day with some pretty wild wind -- in fact there was a tornado the day before that caused the game to be delayed. Anyway, we were getting our asses kicked and Jose was pretty upset about. Billy was trying to cheer him up and noticed a beer can making its way north UP a hill in the wild winds. Billy pointed it out to Jose and said "Look! There's proof that OU sucks!"

Jose finally laughed and said "Dammit, Billy. Don't make me laugh. This is supposed to be a sad time"




--
Hook 'em Horns
 
I have searched all week for the appropriate words to describe my feelings on the passing of the greatest Longhorn fan ever. To this day, I am still speechless. I can say that I will truly miss him at the football and baseball games. Knowing he was there always gave me some piece of mind in a way. Jose was truly something special to his friends and to the University of Texas. In tribute, I raise my glass to you Jose, and simply say, Hook Em Horns. We will miss you me amigo.
 
I have searched all week for the appropriate words to describe my feelings on the passing of the greatest Longhorn fan ever. To this day, I am still speechless. I can say that I will truly miss him at the football and baseball games. Knowing he was there always gave me some piece of mind in a way. Jose was truly something special to his friends and to the University of Texas. In tribute, I raise my glass to you Jose, and simply say, Hook Em Horns. We will miss you me amigo.

J.E.Mojica
 
From reading all the posts on this website I can tell everyone has really struggled this week with the loss of Jose. But if Okies can get into heaven, imagine how bad THEIR week was after Jose showed up! By now the "Transfer to Hell" line must be more chaotic than Adopt-A-Sheep Day at College Station.
Jose was my tennis buddy and roommate for two years in the mid-1970s prior to my getting hitched. In fact, it was our collective worn tennis balls that were inscribed and launched upon Okies at the NCAA Regionals at Arlington (see prior posting).
I knew him back at UT also. It always amazed me how, while other cheerleaders used megaphones to project their voices, little Jose could be heard at the top of the stadium using only his big mouth. But that was always Jose's trademark: small in stature - big noise, big smile, big spirit, big heart.
Yesterday we sang "The Eyes of Texas" at Joses's graveside. The final line was especially poignant: "The eyes of Texas are upon you 'til Gabriel blows his horn." The eyes of Texas have certainly been on Jose; now he will be keeping an eye on the rest of us 'Horns. Rest in peace, Jose, ... but not until you remind any angellic Okies once more what time it is.

Gary and Cathy Gross
Lake Travis
 
Gary and Cathy, forgive my moving of your post onto this thread, but I intend for the few threads about Jose to live forever on HornFans and for the Prayer Request board to grow with the Longhorn community's needs. I was afraid that your post might get lost over time and feel more confident that it will remain as part of the main thread.You reminded me of another great story from yesterday. Gabe told a little diddy about how Jose woke up one day and had to learn to speak Spanish. It really bothered him and he started taking classes. His happiest day was when he learned to say

OU chupa

I'll leave the translation to you.


--
Hook 'em Horns
 
I actually didn't mean to start a new thread. I just entered my post incorrectly, so thanks for the move. I know Jose was upset about not being able to speak Spanish. When we were roommates he got chewed out by a tailor doing some alterations for him for not being able to speak the language. He had that hurt look on his face like Texas just lost their second game at the CWS. Leave it to Jose to do something about it.

Gary Gross
 
Some of you have mentioned how Jose would make you want to be more like him in different ways, and I would like to relate a story that made me feel that way, also.
In 1984, we traveled to NYC for the Penn State game at the Meadowlands, the Kickoff Classic. It was a fun trip, with many humorous incidents, but there was one incident during the game which illustrated Jose's character.
Jose took the famous flag into the stadium, of course, but the rules there apparently prohibited flags. This stadium usher came down to our seats and asked Jose to stop waving the flag, and attempted to confiscate it, and he was pretty arrogant about the whole deal. Jose would not give up the flag, but agreed to put it away. But many other fans around us started giving the usher a lot of harsh criticism, and threats, before the guy went away.
However, later in the game, the usher came back because his job included keeping people from rushing the field after the game. Since UT had kicked Penn State's butt from the opening whistle until the game ended, he was sure we were all going over the wall. He was literally shaking in fear of this happening, fearing for his life, and then he started crying. Now, I admit I was sitting there finding this kind of humorous, and somewhat hoping that someone would punch the guy in the nose over the earlier incident with the flag. But Jose called the guy over, asked me to move over one seat, and had the guy sit down between us. Jose put his arm around the usher and consoled him, and told him no one was going to rush the field, and that we wouldn't let anyone harm him. The poor guy was saying it was his job to enforce the stadium rules, and I ended up feeling really bad about wanting to see him pummelled by someone. He turned out to be a pretty nice guy, just doing his job. Jose found the good side of the guy.
Jose acted as he often did that day, an enthusiastic UT fan, but one who remained above the fray, exhibiting his good qualities when it really mattered the most.
At Jose's funeral mass, the priest talked about Jose's leadership and role model abilities, and in incidents like the previous one, Jose revealed his true character.
That's one of many reasons we will all miss Jose Pena.

Fish gotta swim. Birds gotta fly. Man got to sit and wonder why, why, why.
 
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