“Are you related to the Kusenbergers in Del Rio?”
It’s a question I’m asked pretty regularly. It can happen anywhere, but it happens regularly when I’m in Del Rio; I go there periodically to configure Xerox machines for networks. I estimate that every third visit to Del Rio, I’m asked: “Are you related to the Kusenbergers in Del Rio?”
The answer, of course, is “yes.” Robert Sr., the patriarch of the Del Rio Kusenbergers, is my dad’s cousin, meaning his children are my second cousins. This also means Robert Sr. is my first cousin once removed, but we probably don’t want to parse all that out.
I broadcast high school sports along with the Xerox work, and got to cover Del Rio High School’s playoff football game in San Antonio against Harlan High School, one of the newer schools here. I reached out to the Del Rio Head Coach at the time, Roderick Taylor, asking him to send me a roster, lineup, and stats. He complied. I spoke with him before the game, we discussed his players and pronunciation of names, and I recorded an interview with him. Then, just as we were closing things out, he asked me:
“Are you related to the Kusenbergers in Del Rio?”
After I confirmed it, he said “When I saw that name in my email, I figured there had to be a connection.”
And it’s a proud connection for many reasons, but the biggest is his marriage. Robert and Ruth Kusenberger is the Greatest Love Story I know.
They each loved the Lord, and wanted to serve him with their lives. Robert wanted to be a priest; Ruth, a nun.
But God said, “I have a better idea.”
“You two should be married. As you grow closer to each other, you will grow closer to Me, and as a married couple you will impact even more lives than you could be a priest and a nun.”
And Robert and Ruth listened to God. They had four children and 14 grandchildren, raising them all to love the Lord and be successful in their own endeavors.
I had the privilege of seeing Robert and Ruth’s relationship up close. One evening when I was visiting, they discussing an operation Robert was facing in the coming weeks. Robert said after the Monday operation, he would return to work Wednesday. Ruth said no, he would need to rest for at least a week. This went back and forth, Robert being the provider, Ruth the caregiver, roles that may appear stereotypical but were truly who they were, each expressing love for the other even in disagreement.
After about three iterations of this, I said, “You don’t need to decide that today.”
Ruth said, “That’s true. Thank you, Mark!”
Ruth’s devotion helped Robert to become a successful businessman. Robert went from taking an extra job driving a cab to make ends meet, to owning an array of gas stations and restaurants, among other enterprises. In doing so, he also became a great philanthropist, benefiting many in many ways, including but not limited, of course, to the Oblate School of Theology.
Through it all, he himself became a deacon, doing much service, including many tasks he might have performed anyway as a priest. But with Ruth, they could do so much more, and in doing so, they accepted God’s guidance, and received God’s blessings, and shared those blessings with all of us.
Robert’s influence extends to me as well; his example inspired me along my own faith walk. For that reason, when it is finally my time to depart this earth, I wouldn’t be surprised if I approach the Pearly Gates, and St Peter sees me, reads my name in the Book of Life, and says to me…
“Are you related to the Kusenbergers in Del Rio?”
Read more about Robert on the attached link.
https://www.porterloring.com/obituaries/Robert-C.-Kusenberger,-Sr.?obId=27624799&fbclid=IwAR3yFIjjWr0AvmFVkNRsvxyN92QYEc-PGtPY6afO-87iUOKiuSAH7_jHU88#/celebrationWall
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