Mariano R. Aguilar advocated for the underdog as an activist and social worker, serving his barrio during and after the Chicano movimiento. He was a positive influence on barrio inhabitants, gang youth, jail inmates, drug users, MHMR patients, and nursing home patients over decades of social work.

He was instrumental in historic organizations such as MANCO and the CBB; he helped rid the city of the spray paint addiction epidemic of the 1970s. He was a political strategist, and he was a voracious reader.

He cherished life on the Frio river in Leakey with his wife, Belia. He brought both joy and frustration to those who crossed his path.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Elodia; his father, Dario; his step-son, Joe Duran III; and his brothers, Anselmo and Dario. He had recently lost his beloved wife, Belia.

He is survived by his daughter, Kathy; daughter, Kristeen; son, Mariano; daughter, Raquel; brother, Richard; sisters, Beatriz, Angelica, and Margie; ex-wife, Carmen; step-daughters, Julissa, Belinda, and Leticia; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, and friends.

Visitation will occur on Saturday, February 29, 2020, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, with military honors, a rosary, and remembrances occurring after 3pm.