Ruben Urenda

Ruben Simeon Urenda, beloved father, grandfather, brother, and friend was called to heaven on May 22, 2024.

He was born January 11, 1934, in Oklahoma City, OK, a first-generation American son of immigrants Simeon and Sofia Urenda. He valued education enough to transfer schools on his own while still in grade school. This was a lesson he'd later apply for the benefit of his children. After graduating from Capitol Hill High School in 1951, he attended the University of Oklahoma at a time many of his high school classmates were off to the war in Korea. After earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, he received a commission in the United States Air Force and started flight school. He ended up serving his country as an air traffic controller at various duty stations around North America. While at his final active-duty station at Amarillo Air Force Base, he met Norberta Vogel, the love of his life. They were wed June 4, 1960.

After their wedding, he attended Oklahoma State University where he earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering. He was hired by Sandia National Laboratories, and moved with Norberta to Albuquerque, NM in May of 1961, where they reared their family. After a rich and fulfilling career, Ruben retired from Sandia in May 1996, after which he and Norberta travelled to Europe as well as around the United States to visit their sons, daughters, and grandchildren.

Norberta preceded him in death on November 5, 2014. Ruben is survived by his sister Catalina, of Oklahoma City, and his brother Daniel, of Wichita, KS. He is also survived by children Daniel and his wife Marilyn, Kristin and her husband Kevin, Tim and his wife Anne, Terri and her husband Les, and Kevin and his wife Liz, as well as grandchildren Lauren, Devin, Sean, Ian, Nathan, Samantha and husband Chandler, Kaitlin, Allison, Danielle, Meghan, and Andrew, and great grandchild Gianna.

We are forever grateful to be the children of parents who instilled in us the values of hard work and perseverance, the pride in being fortunate to be born American, as well as a love of God, family, and appreciation for good art and music, good food, and the great outdoors.

Services for Ruben will take place on Friday June 14, 2024, with a Rosary beginning at 3:30pm with a Catholic Funeral Mass to follow at St. Mark Catholic Church in Argyle, TX.  (6500 Crawford Rd. Argyle, TX 76226) Ruben will be laid to rest at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery on Monday, June 17, 2024, at 11:15am.  (2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy Dallas, TX 75211)