Obituary: José Isaac Soria

José Isaac Soria, a longtime Texas Baptist pastor and public schoolteacher, died May 20. He was 91. He was born on Oct. 14, 1931, in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico, to José de la Luz and Irene Soria. Growing up in a family with 11 siblings, he learned the gospel and pastoral ministry from his father, who served churches in Piedras Negras and Odessa. He attended Valley Baptist Academy, graduating in 1953. During his high school years, he preached at a Hispanic mission in Edcouch, and he served as youth vice president of what is now the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas. He was pastor of Hispanic Baptist Mission in Refugio beginning immediately after his high school graduation and continuing until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1956. He served in the 101st Airborne Division as a paratrooper in Germany and the 82nd in North Carolina. After receiving his honorable discharge from the Army, he returned to Texas and was called as pastor of Hispanic Dinero Baptist Church in Live Oak County. He earned an undergraduate degree in education from the University of Corpus Christi. In 1962, he married Diana Muñóz, who he met at the Airport Baptist Mission in Corpus Christi. He began his bivocational career when he began serving Primera Iglesia Bautista in Robstown as pastor, while also teaching reading and Spanish in the Orange Grove Independent School District. He went on to teach Spanish, history and special education 23 years in the Robstown Independent School District. He also served as pastor at Primera Iglesia Bautista in Sinton, Templo Bautista in Corpus Christi, Primera Iglesia Bautista in Gregory, Primera Iglesia Bautista in Odem, Annaville Baptist Church en Español, First Baptist Church of Euless en Español and Buenas Nuevas Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Soria also worked as a substitute teacher for the public schools in Corpus Christi and Fort Worth. He also was a licensed real estate agent, and he owned and managed apartment properties in Robstown and Corpus Christi. He was named honorary president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas annual meeting in Austin in 2015. He was preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters; his daughter Edika; and an unborn son and daughter. He survived by his wife of 60 years Diana; daughters Monica Guarneri and husband Julio; daughter Yvette Sherwood and husband Joel; six grandchildren; two great grandchildren; brothers Daniel and David; and sisters Lydia and Rosa.