The Gazette-Enterprise

When students and teachers once again fill the halls of Marion High School next week, one familiar face will be missed. Pat Real, one of the agriculture teachers, retired last May after teaching for five years at Marion High School.

Real grew up in Cibolo and went to Schertz-Cibolo High School (now Samuel Clemens High School), then went on to Texas A&M University to receive his bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 1974 and then his master’s degree in 1980.

“I grew up on a farm,” Real said. “I knew a lot about ag, and I always wanted to teach.”

After graduation Real taught for six years in Needville, and 29 years in Judson before coming to Marion in 2004.

“He is rare,” Marion High School ag., teacher Dwayne Reiley said. “He a mechanical genius. There are people who are geniuses in their field, but can’t teach students. He could teach anyone.”

Real and Reiley taught together at Judson and Marion. According to Reiley, teaching wasn’t the only thing Real did for the school.

“He was very involved,” Reiley said. “He did a lot of projects for the school and community.”

Real worked with the school and community on several endeavors, including the Redneck Triathlon, a fundraising event that benefits the local FFA. He also worked with his students on Wade Busby memorial projects.

When he wasn’t in the classroom or working on service projects, he was leading his students to victory at several competitions.

Eric Davis was a student of his, and on some of his teams he won state competitions and went on to nationals. This past year he led his team to the state level of the agricultural mechanics competition.

“If ag teaching had an Einstein, that would be him,” Davis said about Real. “His wheels were always turning. We’d be having a conversation and he would start telling us about project ideas that had nothing to do with the conversation.”

After decades of teaching, Real is ready to hang up his hat and retiring — turning his attention to projects around his home in Cibolo.

He was recently honored by the vocational agricultural teachers association of Texas for his years of service as a teacher. Students don’t need to worry about never seeing their former teacher again, Real still plans on visiting the school.

“I havse learned considerably since I began teaching,” Real said. “I will miss my outstanding students, but there are lots of things I want to do while I can still do them.”

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