In my research for "A History of Character: The Story of Midland, Texas," I have heard many fascinating stories that I hope will work together to form a timeless look into who we are and the kind of people that have made up our city. One of those stories I ran across yesterday. It's a story that may or may not make it into the final book because in the giant scheme of things it probably doesn't figure into our actual history story. But it does paint a neat picture of the Morales family.
Felipe and Celia Morales came to Midland independent of one another in the late 1950s. Celia arrived from the Valley, Felipe from San Antonio. Felipe worked for a supply company early on and then proceeded to gain his insurance license and open up the firm he still runs today with his daughter, Cindy Morales Maes. After the insurance firm was up and running, the family ventured into the restaurant business and opened Casita Gerardo's, which is now Gerardo's Casita on north Big Spring.
Yesterday, Felipe remembered fondly several times when his sons, Jerry, now a Midland City Councilman and the proprietor of Gerardo's, and Novert, now an attorney in Austin, were in Little League and soccer.
"When they would win a big game, they would invite the entire team over and tell them they could eat for free," Felipe laughed. "And so we never charged all those boys."
The reward? Aside from seeing a team of hungry young athletes eating food they didn't have to pay for, Felipe said invariably, the families of those young athletes would not just return, but become repeat customers.
Felipe and Celia Morales: Good parents? Model. Smart business owners? Without question.
-- JImmy
Felipe and Celia Morales came to Midland independent of one another in the late 1950s. Celia arrived from the Valley, Felipe from San Antonio. Felipe worked for a supply company early on and then proceeded to gain his insurance license and open up the firm he still runs today with his daughter, Cindy Morales Maes. After the insurance firm was up and running, the family ventured into the restaurant business and opened Casita Gerardo's, which is now Gerardo's Casita on north Big Spring.
Yesterday, Felipe remembered fondly several times when his sons, Jerry, now a Midland City Councilman and the proprietor of Gerardo's, and Novert, now an attorney in Austin, were in Little League and soccer.
"When they would win a big game, they would invite the entire team over and tell them they could eat for free," Felipe laughed. "And so we never charged all those boys."
The reward? Aside from seeing a team of hungry young athletes eating food they didn't have to pay for, Felipe said invariably, the families of those young athletes would not just return, but become repeat customers.
Felipe and Celia Morales: Good parents? Model. Smart business owners? Without question.
-- JImmy
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