Mario S. Ortiz

Funeral Services for Mario S. Oritz, Emporia, will be held at the Twelfth Avenue Baptist Church on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at 11:00 A.M.  Burial will follow in Memorial Lawn Cemetery.   The family will receive friends at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home Friday evening, November 29, from 6:00 until 8:00. He passed away at his home in Emporia on Saturday, November 23 at the age of 62.

Mario S. Ortiz was born in Anahuac, Tamaulipas, Mexico on September 16, 1957, the son of Monico C. and Juanita (Salinas) Ortiz.  He married Theresa A. Mendoza on December 2, 1977 in Emporia. She survives.  Also surviving are sons, Mario A. Ortiz (Mayra) and Adam Ortiz (Lisa) and daughter, Juanita A. (Ortiz) Horn (Brian), all of Emporia; brothers, Alfredo Ortiz, Ramiro Ortiz, Miro Ortiz, Abel Ortiz, and Daniel Ortiz, of Emporia; and grandchildren, McKayla, Mia, Santos, Xiomara, Anjelina, and Araceli Ortiz, and Kindree and Ashlyn Horn.  Two brothers died earlier, Armando and Arnoldo Ortiz.

Mr. Ortiz was a Trackman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, retiring 2 years ago after being employed for 37 years with the company. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way. Mario was an avid fisherman and spent countless hours on the Soden’s Grove bridge hoping to catch "the big one".  In his earlier years he also enjoyed hunting pheasant, quail, dove, and prairie chicken. Mario was also a big sports fan. He followed KU basketball religiously, and also the KC Royals and the KC Chiefs. Mario was a grill master and enjoyed cooking for his family and friends any chance he got.

A memorial has been established for the Miniature Train at Soden’s Grove. Contributions may be sent to the funeral home, PO Box #175, Emporia, Kansas 66801

Condolences may be sent to the family online through the funeral home website: www.robertsblue.com