On Jan. 18, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) lost employee and alumnus Sergio Galvan, 49, due to Covid-19 complications. Sergio had worked at the TAMUK bookstore in the Memorial Student Union Building (MSUB) for more 25 years.
Sergio, born August 14, 1971 in Eagle Pass, Texas, is survived by his wife Rocío Polendo de Galvan and three children: Barbara, 14, Giancarlo, 13, and America, 7.
Sergio, nicknamed Papa Sergio by students who knew and loved him, was the Assistant Manager at the TAMUK bookstore and close friend of Manager Mary Gutierrez. Sergio and Mary had been friends for more than 23 years and had met, as students, here on campus.
“We kind of stuck through it all together. He’s just a good person, irreplicable. He liked to play jokes on me, and we just got along very well. He’s been through all the big things in my life,” Mary said. “I learned a lot about being a giving person from him.”
Mary reminisced on memories she shared with her longtime friend. She remembered how he hated celebrating his birthday at the bookstore, his co-workers jokingly surprised him with a celebration every year.
“This past year we covered his whole workstation in post-it notes, and he was not happy. One year – we have a restroom here – one of the students suggested that we fill it with balloons so when he opened the door all the balloons popped out,” Mary recalled.
While a student at TAMUK in the ’80s, Sergio earned three degrees in Biology, IT and Spanish. During his time, he met his wife Rocío. The two met at a party that took place in Sergio’s apartment unbeknownst to him.
Sergio and Rocío dated for 10 years and have been married for almost 15 years. Thursday, Jan. 28, would have been their 15-year anniversary.
“He was an excellent father and husband. His priorities were the kids and the family,” Rocío said. “I know he’s going to be missed. I miss him a lot. For 25 years we were together almost every single day […] It’s hard, but I guess the fact that I have to be there for my kids I have to be strong and care about them first.”
[soliloquy id="4948"]
Mary has described the marriage between Sergio and Rocío as a fairytale. Their love for each other, their kids and dancing was visible throughout the years they spent together.
“They would always be dancing and spinning around to all types of music,” Director of Contracts and Grants at the Office of Research and Graduate Studies and sister-in-law Diana Polendo Luna said. “Every single gathering, they would be the people everyone would watch because they would be dancing, and they did it well.”
Diana had a strong bond with Sergio; to her he was like her biological brother.
“I would call him frequently at the bookstore,” Diana said. “He’s always been my go-to person on campus. Anytime we would hang up over the phone he would say ‘Bueno, I love you, bye.’ That was his thing, he was very lovable.”
Giving, kind, helpful, positive and family-oriented were words that his loved ones often described him as. Students, current or graduated, and their family members would often call the bookstore to casually speak with him. After his passing, the Galvan family received multiple messages and cards from the many people who knew Sergio.
“It’s very rewarding to see how many lives he’s touched,” Diana said.
Sergio Galvan’s funeral service was held in Eagle Pass last weekend. The mass was live streamed for friends and family who couldn’t attend.
“Just the fact that he’s no longer here, it’s going to be very hard to pass that,” Diana said.
“But I know that he’s made a lot of friends and that a lot of people loved him. I’m thankful to having the opportunity to meet him. He was just a happy soul.”