John Hernandez, the son of Mexican immigrants who parlayed perseverance, faith, and entrepreneurial drive into one of Fort Worth’s premier commercial printing businesses and a lifetime of civic service, died July 30 at the age of 94 after a long illness.

Hernandez spent more than 70 years in the printing industry — a former printer, salesman, and founder of John Sons Press. He was a tireless advocate for education and small business.

A onetime chairman of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, he was later honored with the Ohtli Award — the highest recognition given by the Mexican government to citizens of Mexican descent living abroad.

“John Hernandez was a trailblazer, not just in business but in building a more inclusive, opportunity-filled Fort Worth,” said Steve Montgomery, CEO and president of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. “His legacy will live on in the many lives he touched, especially those of small business owners, students, and future leaders.

“He believed that business should serve people — and he lived that belief through mentorship, advocacy, and service. Our community owes him a deep debt of gratitude for opening doors that will remain open for generations. His example will continue to guide us.”

Hernandez was among the founding leaders of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce more than 50 years ago and served as chairman in the early 1990s, credited with playing a key role in expanding the Chamber’s outreach, mentorship programs, and regional influence. In 2023, he was honored as one of the Chamber’s 50 Latino Leaders of Fort Worth in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

As a longtime member of the Fort Worth Stock Show’s International Committee and co-chair of its Hispanic Advisory Committee, Hernandez served as a cultural bridge, helping the Stock Show better engage with Mexican and Mexican-American communities. His fluency in English and Spanish, along with his deep understanding of both cultures, made him a vital connector between Texas and Mexico. He arranged visits from ranchers and officials from the state of Zacatecas and even advised organizers to host mariachi concerts and Hispanic rodeo events.

Former Stock Show President Brad Barnes called him “a true ambassador.”

Said Barnes in a tribute several years ago: “He worked year-round and always had this on his mind: ‘How can I bring people together?’”

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at All Saints Catholic Church. Hernandez will be laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Hernandez was born on June 12, 1931, to Esther and Jesus Hernandez in Fort Worth’s historic Northside. Off to his first job scooping ice cream at age 12, his father, a meatpacker in the Stockyards, told him: “You’re not being hired to stand around and look pretty. From the time you push that clock till the time you leave, you work.”

Said his son Marc: “A funny story about that. He liked to tell the story of how one day he and his co-workers were standing around [doing nothing], so he grabbed an ice cream stick and started tossing it so he could go pick it up and stay busy.”

For the first 50 years of his life, Hernandez seemed destined for a modest, predictable path: graduate high school, take a blue-collar job at a print shop, get married, settle on Fort Worth’s North Side, raise a family, send the kids to Catholic school, and make it financially.

He graduated high school from Laneri, which, along with Our Lady of Victory, was the predecessor to Nolan Catholic High School, in 1951. Not long after, he began working as a printer. He eventually worked his way up to sales, culminating with a job with Motheral Printing.

Circumstances after age 50, however, changed his course. Hernandez left Motheral in the 1980s to become an independent broker, eventually, a few years later, joining his son Philip in acquiring a small printing firm on Fort Worth’s southwest side.

He was later joined by three other sons in the business, which was in time rebranded John Sons. Together they built one of Fort Worth’s premier commercial printing businesses from the company’s 30,000-square-foot headquarters on the South Freeway. The brothers have diversified, now also operating The Battery & Scooter Store in west Fort Worth. 

“I was just trying to survive,” he once said in explaining that he never planned for a business for his sons. But each brought their own strengths, he said, and together they pulled in tandem.

The business, however, became a platform for Hernandez to give back through civic leadership.

A lifelong member of All Saints Catholic Church, Hernandez served on its inaugural Parish Advisory Council and held a longtime seat on the Finance Council of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth. He was a founding board member of the North Texas Area Community Health Center, a trustee of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, and a board member of Fort Worth Sister Cities, where he helped establish a sister-city partnership with Toluca, Mexico.

In addition to the Fort Worth Stock Show’s International Committee, Hernandez also served on the boards of the Red Cross, MedStar, and John Peter Smith Hospital. He was also presented the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor for adult volunteers.

“I think his legacy is threefold,” said Fort Worth City Councilman Carlos Flores, who represents the North Side. “One, what he’s done in his entrepreneurial capacity in forming John Sons. Two is his civic involvement. Third is the legacy of family. It’s that family legacy that continues to give back to the community.”

Hernandez and his wife of 67 years, Jeanette, were awarded Nolan Catholic High School’s Esto Dux Award in 2014 for their enduring commitment to Catholic education. The husband and wife also were leaders in helping create the Father Jasso Tuition Assistance Program at All Saints Catholic School. Moreover, Hernandez was recognized with the Fort Worth Business Press Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and the John V. McMillan Hall of Fame Award from the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber in 2019.

In 2000, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs honored Hernandez with the Ohtli Award for his lifelong service to the Hispanic community.

“I rise today to pay tribute to John Hernandez, one of Fort Worth, Texas’ finest sons,” U.S. Rep. Kay Granger said from the House floor in 2000 in honor of Hernandez’s receiving the Ohtli Award from the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Paving the way for others to follow, Mr. Hernandez has always been a crusader for the betterment of the Hispanic community, never seeking the glory for himself, but instead for those around him. Our community is stronger for his presence and forever blessed for his dedication and devotion.”