Tony was born on May 27, 1945, in San Antonio, Texas to Ruth Escareño and Antonio Escareño. He grew up in San Antonio, and graduated from Brackenridge High School in 1963. In 1964, he volunteered for the U.S. military, but was medically discharged because of a medical condition. In 1965, he moved to Long Beach, California where he enjoyed working on Boeing commercial airplanes for about a year. After returning to San Antonio, he married Josefina Rangel on May, 24 1969. On July 4th, 1972, he had a daughter, Elizabeth Ann, whom he called, “Liz.” From May 1970-1973, Tony was a residential advisor at Gary Job Corps Center in San Marcos, Texas. He was promoted to shift supervisor in 1974, and worked at Gary until 1993. In the early 1980’s, he became a born again Christian and became a faithful church member at Hill Country Faith Ministries in San Marcos, Texas. On July 13, 1991, Tony remarried; to the love of his life, Margarita Ortiz Escareño, and they moved to Reedville, Texas. He became employed at the San Marcos Walmart Supercenter from 1995 until he suffered a stroke in 2010, forcing him to retire. 

Tony enjoyed saltwater fishing in Port Aransas, attending weekend gun and air shows, and watching what he called “shoot ‘em up!” action movies with his daughter, Liz. He liked gardening, reading history, listening to diverse genres of music on his vinyl record player, and watching The Price is Right every morning and Jeopardy every evening. Tony will be greatly missed, and remembered as a faithful husband, loving father, step-father, and grandfather. He was dependable, neat, and had an excellent memory. We will surely miss listening to his hours of narrating entire movies in great, entertaining detail and dozing off in his favorite wingback chair.

Tony is survived by his devoted wife of almost 30 yrs., Margarita Ortiz Escareño; his beloved daughter, Elizabeth Ann Escareño and granddaughter Madison Ruthann Westenbarger of Raleigh North Carolina; step-daughter, Melissa Salazar; step-son and wife, Robert and Amanda Salazar; and step-granddaughter, Rebecca Celeste Salazar.  He was preceded in death by his father, Antonio Escareño; his mother, Ruth Esther Escareño Pogue; and his younger brother, Victor Gomez Escareño. 

The Escareño family will receive family and friends at Pennington Funeral Home on February 9, 2021, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, followed by the Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7:00pm.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00am, February 10th at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in San Marcos, Texas, with burial to follow at Memory Lawn Memorial Park in Martindale, Texas.  

Arrangements in care of Pennington Funeral Home, 323 N. Comanche, San Marcos, Texas 78666. 512-353-4311 ~ www.penningtonfuneralhome.com