Adan D. Salazar

Adan Salazar passed peacefully from this life surrounded by his family, on Monday, June 22, 2015 the age of 87 after suffering from a fall. Adan was born on July 16, 1927 to Jose and Susie Salazar in Gonzales, Texas. In addition, to his parents he was preceded by death by his wife of 52 years, the late Catalina Ramos Salazar.
He is survived by his beautiful wife, Blanca Garcia Salazar, son Adan Salazar Jr., married to Kathleen from Alvin, Texas; daughters Sylvia White from San Jose, California and Juanita Cariffe from St. Charles, Missouri, married to Lou Cariffe; his sister, Minerva Blanco from Florida, Brother –in-law, Rene Garcia, married to Elma from Corpus Christi, Texas. He has four grandchildren, Nicole and James Adan White, Adam and Megan Salazar, and numerous nieces, nephews and many long-time friends.
Adan was a well-known musician, band director, and saxophone instructor for over 50 years. He began his musical career playing the saxophone with dance bands his junior and senior year in High School. After High School graduation in 1945, he was drafted into the Army and was assigned to the 386Th Field Army Band. After receiving an honorable discharge after three years of service, he attended Southwest Texas State Teachers College, now known as Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, majoring in music education. He played in several dance bands to supplement his income.
After graduating from college in 1952, Adan accepted a job in San Isidro, ISD organizing his first High School Band. He marked the first football field, performed half-time shows in both English and Spanish and drove students home in an area so remote that they had to put reflectors on mesquite trees to guide the way. From his early days in San Isidro, his work with the band attracted many to watch the band perform. Adan dedicated himself to his work. Throughout his career, he took pride in having taught several students whom have become successful Band Directors. Two years later his band participated in his UIL marching contest, receiving a Division I rating. After teaching four years in San Isidro he moved to Falfurrias, Texas and became the first Hispanic Band Director and teacher in High School. The band earned its first Superior rating in Marching under his direction. Adan continued his career as a Band Director at Edinburgh High, Edinburg, Texas, moving to Premont High School, in Premont, Texas where he taught for ten years. During his time, at Premont High School, his marching and concert band won several consecutive years of honors. His band became well known in South Texas and was publically announced at football half time shows, as the “Pride of Premont.”
From Premont, Adan moved to San Antonio and became the head Band Director at Harlandale High School and later at Nimitz, NEISD. During his teaching at Nimitz his greatest accomplishment was his band receiving straight first division ratings in UIL concert and sight reading contest. Nimitz was the only middle school band to accomplish this in 1985. The band received a sweepstakes award every year that the Middle School Bands were allowed to attend UIL contest.
He retired in May, 1985 after teaching 33 years in the public schools, then taught band at Catholic Schools, St Mathew’s, St. Peter, St. Anthony Elementary, St. Anthony Boys School, and Incarnate Word Girls High School. He was also active as a clinician, and mentor for several Band Directors throughout the city and continued teaching private lessons in woodwinds up to his last days. He was a long time member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Band Masters Association. On July 23, 2006, Adan Salazar was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame.
Adan will be greatly missed and his legacy will continue by the Love of Music he instilled in everyone and the love for his family. His great life will be celebrated beginning on Friday, June 26, between the hours of 4 to 9 pm, including a rosary at 7 pm. A mass will be held on Saturday, June 27, at 10 am. Both celebrations will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church – Honey Creek, 25781 Hwy 46 West, Spring Branch, Texas 78070. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Nimitz Middle School Band Program or Churchill High School Band program.