Charles Arsuaga, also known as "Charlie" to his friends and "Mr. A." to many band kids and students throughout South Texas, passed away on August 23, 2021 at the age of 78. He was a Corpus Christi native but settled in Falfurrias, Texas in 1978.

Mr. A. was born on October 17, 1942 at his parents' house on Lipan Street in Corpus Christi, Texas. He attended and graduated from Miller High School in 1961 and later earned his Associates' degree from Del Mar College.  After Del Mar he earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in Austin.

In the late 1960's, Mr. A. began his career as a band director in San Antonio directing the Harlandale Junior High and then Harlandale High School bands. In 1974, Mr. A. accepted the band director position at Robstown High School in Robstown, Texas and in 1978, he began work with the Falfurrias High School band. With these bands they consistently earned numerous sweepstakes honors in marching and concert contests. It was with the Falfurrias High School band in the early 80s that they rose to the next level, earning top five honors in the state's UIL marching and TMEA Concert Honor Band 4A and 3A competitions.

Throughout the time of his success in Falfurrias, he also managed to attend courses at Corpus Christi State University, earning his Master of Science degree, specializing in mid-management administration. He also did his superintendent internship under Brooks County ISD Superintendent Mr. Alberto Byington and Assistant Superintendent Mr. Adan Gonzalez.

In 1987, Mr. A. began his career in school administration where he was the high school principal at Robstown High School and the following year served as a principal at the middle school in Banquete, Texas. Upon completion of this assignment, Mr. A. moved closer to his home in Falfurrias and began working with the Premont Independent School District.

For the next nine years, Mr. A. served in different administration positions within Premont ISD as elementary and high school principal and then superintendent of schools. At the end of his ninth year in Premont, he resigned and returned to Falfurrias to finish his teaching career with Brooks County ISD as Director of Music. His bands continued to earn sweepstakes until he retired at the end of the 1999-2000 school year, after 34 years of service.

In retirement, Mr. A. was never idle. He began working as an annuity consultant for teachers and continued to be hired as a band clinician throughout south and central Texas. He also served as a UIL judge for marching and concert band competitions on numerous occasions throughout the years. During the last 20 years of his life, he considered helping teachers plan for their retirement as his MISSION and helping students make music as his PASSION.

Post-retirement musical accomplishments included being inducted into the TMEA Region XIV Band Directors Hall of Fame in 2012.  In 2018, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of conducting the pasodoble tune "Lanjaron" by being invited to be a guest conductor for the Heart of Texas concert band in San Antonio, Texas. And in 2019, he was honored by being inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame, also in San Antonio, Texas.

Throughout his life, Mr. A. loved to travel and had the opportunity to see different parts of the world traveling to Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and even spent the entire month of November in Spain in 2001. In 2010, Mr. A.'s dream of another family vacation came true when all of his children and grandchildren vacationed together in Cancun for a week. Those are memories that will never be forgotten.

Mr. A. was also an avid golfer, taking up golf at age 61. He played leisurely and also competed in group tournaments in Alice, Texas with friends. What he lacked in distance he made up for in accuracy. He also had a great short game and was an excellent putter.

He also loved to hunt and fish back during his working years and was an excellent pistol, shotgun, and rifle shooter.

Despite all of Mr. A.'s hard work and success, he never neglected being a father to his children and husband to his wife.  Above all, Mr. A. was a man of God and stayed very close to his Lord and Savior throughout his life. He was an alter server as a young man and stayed true to the principles of Christianity to the best of his ability.  In the Spring of 2020, he coordinated with his children to pray the rosary daily via Zoom and/or phone, a tradition which continues to this day. Mr. A. always prayed for everyone and consistently referenced his ex-students, his neighbors, the poor and the sick, and of course his family, his relatives, and those whom had recently and long departed. He also prayed for blessings to everyone whom were praying for him during his illness.

Mr. A. always brought out the best in people and impacted the lives of his family, of many students and faculty members, and so many others. He will always be remembered and terribly missed.

He joins now in heaven his parents Antonio and Eva Arsuaga; siblings: Susie Arsuaga, Ismael Arsuaga, Antonio Arsuaga, Eva Gonzalez, and Mary Tapia.

Mr. A. is survived by his wife of 52 years, Delia Arsuaga; children: Charles (Kelinda) Arsuaga, Theresa (Jeff) Dean, Annela (Marcos) Lopez; grandchildren: Christopher Arsuaga, Jenna Arsuaga, Joshua Dean, Matthew Dean, Luke Lopez and Andrew Lopez; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins whom he loved.

All funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 28, 2021
Visitation will begin at 9:30am at the Corpus Christi Cathedral, with the Holy Rosary to be recited at 11:00am and Funeral Mass to be celebrated at 11:30am; Burial will follow in the Holy Cross Cemetery.

Rosary and Mass will be live-streamed on the Guardian Funeral Home Facebook page, stream will begin at 10:55 a.m. 8/28/2021 Click Here for Live-Stream

*Family Request: All those in attendance, please wear a mask*

All floral arrangements should be delivered to Guardian Funeral Home by Friday 8/27/21