Five generations of the Murillo family came together on Saturday, April 15 to celebrate their connection to San Marcos and the birthday of their oldest relative, Eva Sanchez, who recently turned 85.
Fausto Murillo came to Texas from Spain on May 19, 1910, crossing the border at Laredo and venturing to San Marcos, where he remained until the time of his death in 1969.
On Sept. 16, 1913, Murillo married Maria Rubio via an arranged marriage, a common practice during that time. Rubio’s family originally migrated from Cuba to live in Buda, but once the newlyweds came to San Marcos, they remained here to raise their eight children.
“My grandfather [Fausto] owned a shoe shop,” said Virginia Michael, one of the Murillo grandchildren and co-coordinator of the reunion. “Everybody knew him.”
The Murillo family made such an impression on San Marcos that on March 26, 1994, Mayor Kathy M. Morris proclaimed that day as Murillo Family Reunion day.
The official proclamation described Fausto as “a ‘jack of all trades’ working as a stonemason who helped build the Martindale and old St. John’s Catholic churches.”
The proclamation also details Maria Murillo’s contributions as a seamstress whose “eight children went on to distinguished patriotic service in the Army, Navy and Air Force from World War II to the Korean War, and in the community as independent business operators, educators and hard-working citizens.”
Normally, the Murillo descendents would gather as the proclamation declared–remembering their loved ones and celebrating their achievements — on the designated date of March 26. However, this year, the Murillo family held their reunion on April 15 in honor of the last remaining member of the original eight Murillo children.
“All have since passed away, with the exception of Eva Murillo Sanchez, who will turn 85 on April 27,” Michael said. “Aunt Eva is the last. She was born in 1938.”
To commemorate their origins, this year’s family reunion featured cuisine from the Basque region of Spain.
They surprised Sanchez with a cake and a mariachi band to celebrate her birthday.
Across one wall, the family completed an extensive family tree with photos of their relatives dating all the way back to Fausto and Maria Murillo.
On a table of honor, the family displayed a collection of restored photographs, including the wedding photograph of Fausto and Maria, as well as the family home and relatives in Spain.
“Sometimes we forget where we came from,” Michael said. “And the town has changed so much.”
But the Murillo family continues to come together each year, to celebrate five generations of history and connection to the place they still call home.
