October 18, 1949 ~ May 16, 2021
John Carlos, born in Mangum, Oklahoma on October 18, 1949, died unexpectedly in his home on May 16, 2021. He was 71 years old. John was born to Claudine & Ancel Carlos and the family soon moved to Pampa, Texas, where John lived until graduating high school in 1968. John was a good student, a basketball player, and was once awarded “All Around Boy,” an accolade befitting him for the rest of his life.
John attended college at Texas Tech where he joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, earning the nickname “Los,” and then continued on to Baylor Law School. Upon graduation, he moved to San Antonio in 1975 where he joined the firm Groce, Locke & Hebdon. He continued to practice trial law, civil defense and mediation work in San Antonio until his passing, enjoying a well-deserved reputation for honesty and integrity.
In college, John worked at a fine men’s clothing store and since those days he was always impeccably dressed. This instilled in John a life-long appreciation of fine things and the ethic to take the best care of what you had. He was a clothes horse and enjoyed sourcing items from specialty clothiers across the country. His family teased him often because his closets were organized by item type, then fabric, then pattern, then color, and each hanger was perfectly spaced every half-inch.
Sports were a constant in John’s life and there has never been a more enthusiastic and dedicated Spurs fan.
His family believes he died satisfied having just seen his beloved Tim Duncan, “Timmy,” make the Hall of Fame. He held season tickets in the 1980s and since had never missed a game on TV. He could recall stats from years past and knew various personal & professional details about each player. He often recalled the Dallas Cowboys Glory Days, telling stories of the December 23, 1973 game in which Roger Staubach threw an 83-yard Hail Mary pass to Drew Pearson, who ran it in for a touchdown. That was also his wedding day. He golfed for many years with his son, Will.
He told goofy Dad jokes, was a ridiculous dancer, and resisted changes in technology. He could make a belt tie itself in a knot with the flick of a wrist. His favorite song was “What I Like About Texas” by Gary P. Nunn. He loved the patio at La Fonda on Main and late night dinners at Mi Tierra. He took daily walks to talk with God. He always looked on the bright side of life and taught his children to do the same.
His was truly unconditional love, finding joy and taking pride in his children’s smallest achievements. He spoke with us daily, asking “WFD?” (What’s for dinner?) or reminding us to drive safely and lock our doors. He never failed to issue weather alerts, no matter the location. He was always available for a talk or advice, never criticized or ridiculed, and was unfailingly supportive. He was a wonderful father and grandfather, the best Daddy ever, and he is greatly missed.
John is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his daughter Emily Carlos Carty (William) of
Dallas, and her mother Paula Hale of Tulsa, OK; son Will Carlos of San Antonio, daughter Margaret Carlos of Ft. Myers, FL, daughter Ellen Carlos of San Antonio, and their mother Claudia Carlos of San Antonio; and his sister Cathy McCain (Kevin) of Freeport, TX. He is also survived by his beloved granddaughter, Katherine (Lysle) Brady, who called him “Jefe.”
A celebration of John’s life is planned for October in San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Spurs Give Foundation at www.spursgive.org.
You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com.
Arrangements with Porter Loring Mortuary 1101 Mccullough Ave. San Antonio, Tx 78212 – (210) 227-8221.
