Raul Molinar

Raul Armendariz Molinar

“Chief”

Raul Armendariz Molinar – peacefully went into the arms of the Lord in the early hours on December 09, 2020 in San Angelo, Texas. He was born on April 02, 1935 in Alpine, Texas to Vicente and Candelaria Molinar.

Raul worked for the Pecos Proving Grounds as a Truck Driver for 10 years. He then went to work for the Rio Pecos Anheuser-Busch Company as a Truck Driver where he worked for 15 years. During his tenure there he became their top Salesman. In 1985 Raul opened up his own businesses being Raul Easy Stop Beverage Store and Circle “M” Bar. Many memories and friendships were made there. During this time Raul began raising sheep and cows where he would travel to sale and buy at Producer’s Livestock in San Angelo, Texas and Midland County Livestock in Midland, Texas. When he retired in 2010 he continued his hobby of raising sheep, cows, pigs and horses at his ranchito. He loved his horses especially riding them. Raul was a true “Real Cowboy” at heart.

Raul was an outstanding all-star athlete during his high school years attending Alpine High School. In his sophomore year at Alpine High Coach Pete Bromley gave Raul the nickname “Big Chief” because he thought Raul was an Indian as he resembled an “Indian Chief” because of his height, stature and Classical Roman nose. The nickname was fitting and anyone who knew Raul would call him “Chief”. His athleticism was passed down to his children and grandchildren.

When Raul graduated from Alpine High School in 1954, he enlisted in the Army and served proudly for a couple of years. He was sent to Korea where war tensions were still high, hostilities having ended less than one year before. He returned home in 1956 and attended Sul Ross University. Raul was the first Mexican-American from Alpine to play on the Sul Ross University Football team. Like many Latinos of his generation he not only lived in history-making times but also contributed in many ways to changes that in his lifetime benefitted all of us.

In 1957, he married the love of his live, Delma Hernandez Molinar and moved to Pecos, Texas where they settled and raised their family. They were married 63 years and had three children, Monette H. Molinar, Mike Molinar and Rene Raul Molinar. He adored his children and was very proud of all their accomplishments.

Raul will always be remembered as a strong, athletic, adventurous and loving family man who enjoyed new projects and the outdoors. He would work his ranchito and loved caring for his animals (cows, horses, pigs, just to name a few). Raul was also an avid golfer who played every chance he got until this past year. He loved the opportunity to play golf with his son Rene, they were a great team in any golf activity. If you couldn’t find him at his ranchito then you would definitely find him at the greens. The legacy he left his family by example was faith, a high sense of ethics and commonsense to do the best you can do whether in your work or how you treat others. He lived by his own rules, “The Molinar Rules”.

Raul is preceded in death by his parents, Vicente and Candelaria Molinar, his brother, Ramon Molinar, his sister, Amparo Gallegos, his brother, Victoriano Molinar, and his brother, Jose Molinar, his daughter-in-law, Natalia “Neddie” Molinar, and his son-in-law, Frank E. Hernandez.