- Date Of Birth: June 12, 1956
- Date Of Death: December 8, 2020
- State: Texas
Rudolph ‘Gene’ Cantu, 64, of Belton Texas received his call home on December 8, 2020.
Gene was born on June 12,1956 in San Antonio to Ernestina Cantu. He moved to Belton in the early 1970’s where he met the love of his life Penny ‘Michelle’ Nichols. On December 20, 1975, he and Michelle wed while Gene selflessly defended our country in the United States Army. He was later employed by UPS where he dedicated the last 20 years of his life until his retirement in May of 2020. He and Michelle were blessed with four children and 9 grandchildren during their 45 year marriage.
There was nothing Gene enjoyed more than being with his family, and if a ball field was included it was an added bonus. If he wasn’t standing on the field coaching, you could find him in the bleachers, still coaching, anyone and everyone. His love for the sport grew as his family grew. After 40 plus years of coaching family, friends, his children and his grandchildren, his health forced him to move to the other side of the fence, but couldn’t keep him from coaching the ones he loved most in the sport that made him the happiest. Numerous lives were touched by Coach Gene on and off the field. Nothing made him more proud than his family and helping others.
He was preceded in death by his Mother Ernestina Cantu-Muniz, Of Moody and his grandmother Ermalinda Cantu of San Antonio. He is survived by his wife, Michelle Cantu; two sons, Chris Cantu and Scott Cantu and wife Lacey of Belton, two daughters, Jennifer Luna and husband Paul and Amanda Cantu and Michael Wilde of Belton and nine grandchildren, Abby Cantu, AJ And Ryker Peters, Gentry and Dawson Cantu, Ally and Cooper Smith, and Dalton and Hannah Wilde all of Belton; four brothers Robert ‘Bob’ Rosas of Ft Worth, Blas Muniz Jr. and Ricky Muniz of Temple, and Domingo ‘Sundy’ Muniz of San Antonio, and four sisters Linda Esparza and Nancy Potter of Moody, Leticia Lohman and Kathy Riley of Temple; and many nieces and nephews.
