Memorial service for beloved San Antonio ventriloquist Nacho Estrada taking place this weekend

A memorial service this weekend will honor the life and legacy of beloved ventriloquist Ignacio “Nacho” Estrada, who entertained generations of San Antonio school children.

The service, planned for 6 p.m. on Saturday, will be livestreamed on YouTube. 

Estrada died in January at age 77 after a lengthy battle with an illness, a longtime friend told the Current.

During the ’80s and ’90s, Estrada was a fixture at San Antonio area high schools, where he used ventriloquist dummies to encourage students to stay in school, say no to drugs and respect the environment.

Fans of Estrada’s work can send memories and condolences to imnotready2024@gmail.com or to The Nacho Estrada Family at P.O. Box 158, Leming, TX 78050. Rather than sending flowers, the family asked that well-wishers donate to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

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This article appears in Apr 3-16, 2024.