Jose Menchu

Memorial services for Andres Menchu will be 2 p.m., Friday, November 28, 2014 at St. Marys Catholic Church in Temple with Father Steve Sauser officiating. Visitation will be 6 8 p.m., Friday, November 14, at HarperTalasek Funeral Home in Temple.

Mr. Menchu Jose Andres Menchu Gramajo, age 85, died at his home in Temple, Texas, October 30, 2014, after a long illness.

He is preceded in death by his oldest son Andy Menchu, his brother Anibal and sister Ana Maria. He is survived by his sister Aura, two brothers, Antonio and Juan, who live in Guatemala and by his children Lancie, Jorge Tuckess, Luis, Kathryn, Carlos, Temi, Victoria, and Cecilia, their spouses, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Mr. Menchu was born in San Cristobal Totonicapan, Guatemala. As a young man and the oldest male of his family he joined the Salesian monastery of Don Bosco in El Salvador. Seeking an advanced education, in 1950 he traveled to the United States graduating from Carroll College in Helena, Montana in 1954.

While an airman in the U.S. Air Force he was awarded the American Spirit of Honor Medal. In 1956 he and his wife, Carol moved to Kansas City, Missouri where he worked for the Kansas University Medical Center. In 1972 the family moved to Temple, Texas where he worked as a virologist for Bandy Laboratories. In 1980, he opened his own laboratory in Belton, Texas named AM BioTechniques, Inc. In 1993, he opened another laboratory named VacciCell, Inc.

As a virologist, Mr. Menchu developed and manufactured various vaccines for the animal health industry. Most notably was his work in development of the first vaccines for canine parvo and corona virus and a tissue culture rabies vaccine, and one of the earliest killed Rabies vaccines for dogs, which were marketed throughout the world. Along with many other accomplishments, he earned a worldwide reputation for excellence in product until his retirement in 2010. His hard work saved the lives of many dogs throughout the world.

Mr. Menchu also was acquainted with numerous other scientists throughout the world working on various animal and human diseases and freely and quietly contributed his many years of experience to their successes as well.

Mr. Menchu is also known for his extensive work within the deaf community. On a local level he helped start the Parent Professional Section of the Texas Association of the Deaf. On a State level, Mr. Menchu was instrumental in the formation of the Miss Deaf Texas Pageant first held in 1976.

His friendships and professional relationships and his family were his most prized possessions. He will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to LAVOSI, educators and champions for the Deaf in Guatemala, by giving to the Integral Heart Foundations LAVOSI program fund www.integralheartfoundation.orglavosi.htm. Or, the Humane Society.

Visitation

HarperTalasek Funeral Home
500 W. Barton Ave.
Temple, TX  76501
Friday, November 14, 2014
6:008:00 p.m.

Service

Memorial

St. Mary Catholic Church
1018 S. 7th Street
Temple, TX  76504
Friday, November 28, 2014
2:00 PM