Private family committal services for Rafael “Ralph” Madrid, 79, of Lubbock, will be at a later date at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where he will be placed in a niche. He passed on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. We invite you to sign his virtual guestbook on this page.On August 25, 1941, Rafael Flores was born to the late Gonzalo and Sebastiana (Flores) Madrid in Barstow, TX. Ralph served in education for 45 years, 39 with Lubbock ISD. At the time of his retirement, he was the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Ralph worked in Human Resources for the past 30 years. He began his career in Ector County ISD, teaching physical education at Hayes Elementary School. He then transferred to the high school level to teach physical science and biology and to coach tennis. Ralph came to Lubbock in 1971 as an earth and life science teacher at Mackenzie Middle School. A year later, he accepted a recruiting position in the district’s personnel office. For the next 36 years, he served as personnel recruiter, coordinator of the student-teacher program, assistant director, director, executive director, and ultimately assistant superintendent for Human Resources. Ralph earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University at Commerce (formerly East Texas State University). He did post-graduate work at Texas Tech University. Ralph was a past president of the Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators and was the organization’s Administrator of the Year in 1995 and 1997. He was also a member of the American Association for School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) and started the West Texas Association for School Personnel Administrators (WTASPA), and he was also a member of the retired teacher’s organization. Ralph was actively involved in the community, volunteering for numerous organizations, including The United Way and the Lubbock State School. He served as Lubbock ISD’s representative to The United Way for many years. Ralph was a member of the Red Raider Club, and Alumni Association. That was such a big part of who he was! He loved all things Texas Tech Red Raider!Survivors include his sisters, Felicita Sais and Blandina (Herbert) Quintela, of Odessa; nephews, Lonnie Sais, Mauricio Quintela and Marcos Quintela; niece, Diana Devirgillio; great-niece, Sierra Devirgillio; great-nephews, Damien Devirgillo and Xavier Devirgillio; and uncle, Abram (Alice) Flores.He was preceded in death by his father, Gonzalo Madrid, and his mother, Sebastiana Madrid.
