Michael Babb Nunez

Michael Babb Nunez passed away peacefully and comfortably at Hospice Austin’s Christopher House with family present on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at the age of 72.  Mike was born in Beaumont, Texas on August 13, 1951, to Gilbert W. Nunez, Sr. and Lena Mae Babb, the third child in a large family of six boys and two girls.  He was raised in a Catholic household, attended St. Anne Catholic School for eight years, and graduated with honors from Beaumont High School in 1969.  In 1973, Mike graduated from Lamar University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.  Aside from the oldest brother being called off to war, Mike was the first of his siblings to leave his hometown after college graduation to start a new career and a new life in Dallas, Texas as an electrical engineer.  He would soon move to Austin, Texas where he married his first wife, Patricia Bracewell, in August of 1975, and began a long and successful career with Southwestern Bell.   They had one son, Christopher, whom they loved dearly.  He retired from Southwestern Bell in Austin at the wonderfully young age of 54.  In May of 2013, he married his second wife, Diane Ward, with whom he would spend the rest of his life.  Throughout all those years Mike kept his Catholic faith.

Coming from a large family and later remarrying resulted in a lot of people to love and be loved by.  Mike is survived by brothers Gilbert Nunez, Mark Nunez, Shawn Nunez, and Kevin Nunez, and sisters Michele Domec and Erin Roper, his wife Diane, his two sons, Christopher Nunez, and his wife, Monica, and Justin Ward and his two daughters, Robyn Ward and Katie Brewer.  Mike’s love for his family extended to his grandchildren, Christopher Jr., Ella, Joseph, Jacob, Lilianna, Adeline, Townes and Emory.  He also had 4 great grandchildren, Aaliyah, Oliver, Victoria and Elijah.  He was preceded in death by his parents Gilbert W. Nunez, Sr. and Lena Mae Babb, and brother Dan Nunez.

First and foremost, Mike was an engineer, a mathematician, a skilled 42 Dominoes player, and a New York Times crossword puzzle dominator.  But he was also an avid outdoors enthusiast.  He loved hiking and cycling.  He made many trips to the mountains with family members and the Austin Sierra Club.  He backpacked the first 50 miles of the Ouachita Trail in Arkansas.  He also tried some bike-camping trips to area State Parks.  He belonged to several bicycle groups that rode in the small towns surrounding Austin.  He completed a 6-day, 5-night cross-country bike trip from Beaumont to Austin.  He rode the Katy Rails-to-Trails route across the state of Missouri.  And when Mike wasn’t feeling so outdoorsy, he would kick back in his recliner with a big glass of iced tea and watch endless reruns of Matlock, Perry Mason (his favorite), and The Andy Griffith Show.  In all of these adventures everyone will tell you Mike was a great companion with an easy-going temperament.  He was a wonderful and patient “Grumpa” to all the grandkids.  He was a kind and compassionate brother.  He was a loving husband and father.

He will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in memory of Michael B. Nunez to the Lamar University Foundation, Inc., Beaumont, TX for tuitions and fees for scholarships for Engineering, Science, Mathematics, or Education majors.  https://www.lamar.edu

Or

The Yellow Bike Project, a non-profit organization that recycles bicycles and bike parts, teaches bike mechanics, and assists children and youth with building their own bicycles. https://www.austinyellowbike.org

Or

The Alzheimer’s Association, Capital of Texas Chapter   https://www.alz.org/texascapital

A gathering of Mr. Nunez’s family and friends will begin at 1:00 p.m. with a memorial service to follow at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 28, 2023, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont. His cremation arrangements were handled through Broussard’s Crematorium under the direction of  Broussard’s, Beaumont. His inurnment will be held at 2:00 p.m, Saturday, November 4, 2023, at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, 2800 Hancock, Austin.