John Fidel Rios passed away Tuesday, August 30, 2011 in Denton. He was born June 28, 1918 in San Marcos, Texas to Mauricio and Clara Rios, one of nine children. He graduated high school in San Marcos and attended Southwest Texas State (Texas State) graduating in 1940.
He then moved to New York where he earned a Masters Degree in Art Education in 1944. Rejected for military service, he chose to help the war effort by teaching at The Merchant Marine Academy in Kingsport, N. Y.
In 1945 he married Gladys Wenzel of Pittsburgh, Pa. In 1947 he took a teaching position at Stevens College, Columbia, Missouri. The family then moved in 1949 to Phoenix, Arizona, where he taught art at Phoenix College. He remained there until 1962, when he obtained a professorship at Southern Illinois University in Alton, Illinois. The next year he accepted a job as head of the Art Department at Parson College, Fairfield, Iowa. He remained there until 1969, when the College began to dissolve due to an adverse article in Life Magazine.
Later in 1969 he got a job teaching at Texas Woman's University in Denton. He retired from TWU in 1984.
John is survived by one son Jon R. Rios of Denton and 2 grandchildren, Adria Lister of Hurst, Texas and Kayla Rios of Hurst, Texas. He is also survived by one great-grandchild, Abigail Lloyd of Hurst, Texas and his sister Hortencia Ramirez, of Los Angeles, California.
A Graveside Service will be held Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 2 pm at the Memory Lawn Cemetery in San Marcos.