The Brownsville Herald - Online Edition Obituaries, July 6, 2006 MANUEL N. GARZA, 97, of Brownsville, passed away on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 at Spanish Meadows Nursing Home. Arrangements are pending under Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd., (956) 546-7111. LT. GUADALUPE "LUPE" LIMAS (RETIRED) Lt. Guadalupe "Lupe" Limas (Retired), 80, of Brownsville went to be with the Lord on July 4, 2006, at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas. Lt. Limas was born in Rio Hondo, Texas, on December 12, 1925. He served his country with the U.S. Navy during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1945. He began his law enforcement career in 1952 with Harlingen Police Department. Subsequently, he moved to Brownsville where he joined Brownsville P.D. in 1955 until his retirement in 1989. Later, he was appointed as the liaison officer for Cameron County Sheriff's Department under Sheriff Alex Perez where he served with distinction for five years. He was a proud and founding member of the Silver Badges, a social organization for retired/former law enforcement officers. He is preceded in death by his parents, Flaviano and Cecilia Limas; a brother, Fernando Limas; a son, Jesus Manuel Limas; granddaughter Patricia Viscaino; and great granddaughter, Maria del Socorro Garza. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Camerina Limas and his children, Ruben (Alicia) Limas, Guadalupe (Aurora) Limas Jr., Olivia (Cruz) Galvan, Fabian (Elvira) Limas, State District Judge Abel (Vivi) Limas, Rodolfo "Rudy" (Irma) Limas, Leticia (Moises) Viscaino and Xavier (Norma) Limas; 29 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; a sister, Hilaria Escobedo of Thermal, Calif.; numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held today, Thursday, July 6, 2006, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with recitation of the holy rosary at 7 p.m. at St. Luke Catholic Church in Brownsville, Texas. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday July 7, 2006, at St. Luke Catholic Church with the Rev. Bert Diaz officiating. Burial will follow at Buena Vista Burial Park under the auspices of American Legion and V.F.W. of Brownsville. Brownsville Police Department Honor Guard will perform the 21 gun salute. Pallbearers will be Fabian Limas Jr., Christopher Limas, Abel Limas Jr., Adam Limas, Rene Limas, Gabriel Galvan, David Viscaino, Alexander Limas and Rudy Vallentino Limas. Honorary pallbearers, Alex Perez, Andres Vega Jr., Commander Robert Avitia, William Kingsbury Jr., Jorge Acevedo and Ricardo Acevedo. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Luke Catholic Church, 2800 Rockwell Dr., Brownsville, TX 78520. Words of comfort may be sent to the Limas family at www.thomaegarza.com Services entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors (956) 399-1331. MR. RAMIRO LONGORIA Mr. Ramiro Longoria passed away on July 4, 2006. He was born on September 12, 1926, in Donna, Texas, and grew up in Mission, Texas. He was one of 10 children born to Eutimio and Genoveva Longoria. As a child, Ramiro loved running through the city's citrus groves and swimming with his friends. He was an exceptional athlete. In high school, he played tennis and ran track, but his real love was playing football. He was the quarterback of the Mission Eagles in the early '40s and later became an avid golfer. After graduating from high school, Ramiro joined the Army during World War II and was stationed in the Philippines. Upon returning from the war, Ramiro used the GI Bill to attend college and graduated from Gradwall School of Medical Technology in St. Louis, Missouri. He later received a Bachelor of Science in biology from Pan American University. Ramiro started working at a very young age, first shining shoes on the city streets of Mission, Texas, and later working as a golf caddie at the city golf course, where he learned to love the game of golf. After graduation from laboratory technology school, he worked at a hospital in Sulfur, Oklahoma, where he met and married Johnelle Calame, who was a registered nurse. They moved back to the Valley, and Ramiro spent the majority of his career working at the Serafy Lab and Valley Regional Hospital in Brownsville, Texas. He also spent time as the director of the state lab in San Benito, Texas. Ramiro is survived by his wife of 53 years, Johnelle Longoria; his three loving daughters, Yolanda Swanson, Dr. Elena Marin (Carlos) and Carmen de la Llata (Julio). He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Kyle Swanson, Leslie Quinn, Julio Andres de la Llata, Diego de la Llata, Diana de la Llata, Tomas Marin and Rebecca Marin; and two great-grandchildren, Kyle and Kaleb Quinn. Ramiro was also the favorite uncle to his many nieces and nephews. We will always remember him as a devoted husband and father, who made this world a happier place. May God bless him and take care of him always. We will all miss him dearly. Visitation will begin Friday, July 7, 2006, at 3 p.m. with recitation of the holy rosary at 7 p.m. on at Darling-Mouser Funeral Home. Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, 2006, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 1200 Lincoln St., Brownsville, Texas. Interment will follow to Buena Vista Burial Park. Military rites will be conducted at graveside under the direction of the American Legion Post 43 Honor Guard. Honored to be serving as Mr. Longoria's pallbearers are Carlos Marin, Tomas Marin, Julio de la Llata, Diego de la Llata, Kyle Swanson, Ray Trdla and John Bland. Arrangements have been entrusted to Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd., Brownsville, TX., (956) 546-7111. JOSE ENRIQUE ESTRELLA Jose Enrique Estrella Jr., 57, resident of Brownsville, Texas, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, July 4, 2006, at Valley Regional Medical Center. He was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Griselda Estrella; children Enrique Estrella, Griselda Estrella and Juan Gabriel Estrella; and a brother, Julio Valentin Estrella. Visitation will be held today, Thursday, July 6, 2006, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with recitation of the holy rosary at 7:30 p.m. at Treviño Funeral Home Chapel. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 7, 2006, at Trevino Funeral Home Chapel followed by interment at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Treviño Funeral Home, 1355 Old Port Isabel Road, Brownsville, Texas, 78520, (956) 542-2583. ISABEL G. ZEPEDA Isabel G. Zepeda, 96, of Brownsville entered into her eternal rest on Monday, July 3, 2006, at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was preceded in death by her parents, Maximo and Esmerejilda Garcia; her husband of 63 years, Luis G. Zepeda; and two brothers, Maximo Garcia and Eugenio Garcia; two sisters, Cesaria G. Cavazos and Dolores G. Casas; and a beloved granddaughter, Christine Zepeda-Ramirez. Survivors include her three daughters, Irma Zepeda, Corina (Carlos) Hernandez and Maria Isabel (Oscar) Lopez; three sons, Abdon (Gracie) Zepeda, Luis Carlos (Romula) Zepeda and Alberto (Carmen) Zepeda, all of Brownsville; 12 grandchildren, Irene (Robert) Avila, Luis Carlos Jr. (Brenda) Zepeda, Ana Isabel Z. (Joseph) Rodríguez, Albert Ray (Elizabeth) Zepeda, Cynthia (Juan Carlos) Vega, Vianae Zepeda, Eloy Ricardo (Kimberly) Zepeda, Laura Ann (Lauro) Pena, Jaime Adrian Zepeda, Celina Ann Hernandez and Amanda Hernandez; and 15 great-grandchildren, Robert Jr., Andrea Nicole, Luis Carlos III, Javier Tomas, Julissa Ann, Jonathan Ivan, Jacob Alexander, Juliet Elizabeth, Alejandra Isabel, Jaden Anthony, Alexander Bryan, Sophia Lauren, Sophie, Chloe and Ayali. Visitation will be held today, Thursday, July 6, 2006, from noon to 6:30 p.m. with a holy rosary commencing at 7 p.m. at Treviño Funeral Home. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 7, 2006, at Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Interment will follow at Buena Vista Burial Park. Pallbearers will be Luis Carlos Zepeda Jr., Albert Ray Zepeda, Eloy Ricardo Zepeda, Jaime Adrian Zepeda, Juan Carlos Vega and Lauro Pena. Honorary pallbearers Robert Avila and Joseph Rodriguez. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Treviño Funeral Home, 1355 Old Port Isabel Road, Brownsville, Texas (956) 542-2583. LIDIA HERNANDEZ RIOS Lidia Hernandez Rios, 76, passed away on Tuesday, July 4, 2006, at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville surrounded by her family. Lidia was born on April 7, 1930, in Oden, Texas; she had been a lifetime resident of Brownsville and a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. She was preceded in death by a son, Pedro Rios Jr. in 1997. She is survived by her beloved husband of 53 years of blessed marriage, Pedro Rios Sr.; a son, Reynaldo (Olga) Rios; three daughters, Maria R. (Jose A.) Selvera, Olivia R. (Maximo) Ortiz and Alma R. (Geronimo) Castillo; 13 grandchildren, Alberto, Osiel, Christian, Freddy, Liliana, Nancy, Yomara Iris, Cynthia, Denis, Pedro Jr., Ivan and Tiffany; seven great-grandchildren, Pedrito, Gorgito, Giovani, Alberto, Yadira, Yaneli and Chris; she is also survived by numerous brothers and sisters. Visitation and rosary were held at Funerarias Ramirez in Matamoros. Local arrangements under the direction of Delta Funeral Directors, 1300 E. Harrison St., (956) 542-2222. ALBERT B. WALKER JR. Albert B. Walker Jr. age 77 of Port O'Connor, Texas, passed away, Sunday, July 2, 2006. He was born July 11, 1928, in Thornton, Texas, to the late Albert B. Walker Sr. and Estelle Lenamond Meisch. He is survived by his children, Diana Duval and husband Russell Duval Jr. of Brazoria, Texas, Patricia Jo Walker of Clute, Texas, Douglas Albert Walker and wife Mary Jo Walker of Port O'Connor and David George Walker and wife Dawn Walker of Rockport; grandchildren Heather Kay of Willis, Texas, Shelly Worrell of Pearland, Texas, Douglas Walker Jr. and Devon Walker, both of Port O'Connor, Brandon Emerson of Prospect, Va., Kayla Walker and David Walker, both of Rockport; great-grandchildren Jaiden Kay and Camden Kay of Willis, Texas, and Jacob Worrell of Pearland, Texas; his siblings, Jacque Williams of Brownsville, Texas, Carolyn Gardner of Jasper, Alabama, Merilyn Wall of La Porte, Texas, and Richard Walker of Brownsville, Texas. Mr. Walker is preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Walker; sisters Kathy Walker and Gwen Walker; and brother Edward Walker. Albert will be greatly missed by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He touched the lives of many people throughout his journey in life. At a very young age, he joined the Merchant Marines and traveled around the world. He then returned to Brownsville where he was a member of the Longshoreman Association, later becoming the president. After several years working on the docks, he decided to open his own business which was Walker's Bait and Tackle. Being an avid fisherman, he knew his endeavor would be successful. When he decided to retire he made his home in Port O'Connor, Texas. Mr. Walker will be laid to rest at the Seadrift Cemetery following a private service for his children and family. In Lieu of flowers please make donations in memory of Albert B. Walker Jr. to Hospice of South Texas at 605 E. Locust Ave., Victoria, TX 77901. Richardson-Colonial Funeral Home in charge of arrangements, (361) 552-2988. The Brownsville Herald 1135 E. Van Buren Brownsville, TX 78520 956-542-4301 1-800-488-4301 © 2000 The Brownsville Herald