To Celebrate a Life of Love: John R. Sardo
July 29, 1941-February 26, 2022
John Robert Sardo, age 80, was surrounded by his beloved family when he passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 26, 2022, after a long illness. His life and legacy will be celebrated on Thursday, March 24, 2022, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with a recitation of the Holy Rosary at 11:00 a.m., followed by Mass of the Resurrection at 11:30 a.m. A private interment will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery.
John is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Teresa Sardo; infant son, Frank Anthony Sardo; and son-in-law, Robert Jackson.
John is survived by his devoted wife of nearly 59 years, Mary Jane (Hendricks) Sardo, children, Terry Corser, Rena Buley (Mark), Ellie Maxwell (Greg), Ginger Jackson, and Michael Sardo (Shannan Beasley); thirteen grandchildren: Ben, Jon, Sarah, and Michael Corser; Stephen (Heidi), Thomas and Catherine Buley, Clayton and Christie Maxwell, Cameron (Alexandra) and Francesca Jackson; and Samantha and John Sardo; his sisters, Patricia Miller (Merlin) and Teresa Sardo; as well as numerous extended family members and a lifetime of friends.
John was born on July 29, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York but he got to Texas as soon as he could! When his family relocated to San Antonio in the early 1950s, John was disappointed to learn that everyone was not on horseback. He was very proud of his Italian heritage but considered himself a true Texan. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1959. He attended The University of Texas at Austin where he was a member of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity but later transferred and graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. John spent most of his professional career at Travis Savings and Loan Association, retiring as a Vice President in 1990, and was actively involved with the Lion’s Club and the San Antonio Savings and Loan Association.
John’s Catholic faith was a very important part of his life, and he had a special devotion to the Blessed Mother. He always carried a rosary with him, tucked safely into a small felt pouch made for him by his wife. Over the years, he and Mary were founding parishioners of both St. Matthew, and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Churches, and John served on the finance council for the Archdiocese under Archbishop Patrick Flores. He gave generously to those less fortunate and had great concern for the homeless and people who suffer from addiction.
Summer vacations to Port Aransas included an annual geography lesson from John who would begin by saying, “These are the coastal plains of Texas.” As a strong swimmer who loved the water, he happily accompanied his children into the ocean to jump the waves, taught them how to make dribble castles, and allowed them to bury him in the sand.
John loved to spend time at the family’s “Country House” in Bandera where he made many priceless memories during the building of the cabin, celebrating holidays and family birthdays, and cooling off in the river at the end of a hot day. His favorite thing to do was to sit on the deck watching the sunset and say, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
Long before there was the convenience of curbside recycling, John’s motto was “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” His children frequently heard him say, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” He was the original user of reclaimed wood, rescuing old fence wood from the side of the road and using it to build picture frames, deck chairs and bird houses. He was known for patiently pulling nails out of old boards and “straightening them” for reuse, repurposing baby food jars to hold nuts, bolts, and screws in the garage, and hauling bags of aluminum cans to a recycling center on the other side of town. He kept the heater low in the winter and the AC high in the summer. If you were cold, put on more clothes; if you were hot, take something off. Turn the lights out when you leave the room and for Pete’s sake, don’t stand with the door open! We’re not trying to air-condition the whole neighborhood!
John had an appreciation for an eclectic variety of music genres and was equally likely to sing along with Willie Nelson as he was with Luciano Pavarotti. He loved to tease friends and family and create nicknames for them. His charming smile, robust laugh, and his great sense of humor will be missed.