Joseph Richard Cantu

Joseph Richard Cantu who was born on March 4, 1941 in Norias, TX left this earth ascended into Heaven on December 12, 2021. Joe was the youngest of six children, and only son of Jose’ and Elodia Cantu. He was raised in Raymondville, TX where he learned the value of hard work. His mother was housewife who took care of all the children and her home, and his father was a working Cowboy on the famous Texas King Ranch. Joe was shining shoes for a nickel at the County Courthouse at the age of 6, picked cotton at the local cotton gin as a teen for $1 an hour, and was in the Texas National Guard in high school, and every girl in town was chasing him. Joe left Raymondville in 1958 when he joined the Air Force at the age of 17. During his four years in the Air Force, he trained in Colorado Springs, CO and was sent to the frigid cold of the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska. After a year of living on a base in the frozen tundra, he let everyone know that he never wanted to live anywhere cold again. His next assignment changed his life forever. He was assigned to McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California where he met the love of his life. Mary Brito was a young girl of 18 and working at McClellan AF Base as her first job out of high school. After just six weeks of dating, they married on April 20, 1963. Deborah Jenne’ Cantu was born 9 months and 9 days later (yes, Mary’s parents were counting). Joseph Blake Cantu was born less than 3 years later. After serving four years in the Air Force, Joe was honorably discharged and transitioned into civilian life in Sacramento, where found his lifetime career as a salesman. A used car salesman to be exact. However, after spending nearly five years in northern California, he took his wife and two children to his home state of Texas. Settling in Houston, Mary and Joe had 3 more beautiful children, Brian Edward Cantu, David Anthony Cantu, and Angela Christina Cantu. Mary stayed home to raise the kids while Joe worked his way from used car salesman to Sales Manager at Jacobe Lincoln Mercury. The crazy stories he would share about what really happened behind the scenes at used car dealerships are priceless. Eventually, Joe went out on his own and opened his own used car lot on Shepherd in north Houston, and then another on Milam in downtown Houston. He was a successful car salesman and business owner for many years in Houston until the economy moved him into the direction of automobile wholesaling which has been his livelihood for the past 25 years of his life. Joe and Mary moved to Las Vegas in the late 1980’s but came back to Houston permanently in the late 1990’s to be closer to their first two grandsons. Being a used car wholesaler was his livelihood. But being a poker player and a gambler was his passion. He loved his family, loved a good party, loved telling jokes to everyone around him. A child at heart and a great father, he coached his sons’ little-league baseball teams and attended their football games, while also supporting his wife and daughters shopping sprees through the Galleria. He taught his children how to shoot pool, how to bluff at poker, and how to place a bet at the casino Sports Book. A hard worker with a heart of gold, he always made sure his family had everything they needed and more, and they have always appreciated it. Joe is preceded in death by his parents Jose’ and Elodia Cantu, by his wife Mary (Brito) Cantu, his oldest son Joseph Blake Cantu, and his youngest daughter Angela Christina Cantu. He is also preceded in death by his brother Oscar Durham, and his sisters Esther Minnick, Ofelia Garcia, and Rachel Longoria. He is survived by his children, daughter Deborah Jenne’ Posso, son Brian Edward Cantu, son David Anthony Cantu, and his loving grandsons Christopher Chase Posso, Hunter Wyatt Posso, Jacob Christian Cantu, and Joseph Blake Cantu, Jr. He is also survived by his sister Pearl Cantu Wycoff, and his "bonus son" Patrick Patke (wife Christina, and son Nathan), all of whom he was very proud and loved very much. Joe will be loved and remembered by many close nieces and nephews, and long-time friends. He will be dearly missed by all, but his stories and his silly antics will live in our hearts forever.

Joseph Richard Cantu

March 4, 1941 - December 12, 2021