The Brownsville Herald - Online Edition OBITUARIES Obituaries, March 6, 2006 FEDERICO GALVEZ, 67, of San Vicente, Texas passed away on March 4, 2006, at his residence in San Vicente. Funeral arrangements are pending with Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston St., San Benito (956)399-1331. ELPIDIA ESTRADA GARZA, 66, of Port Isabel, passed away Feb. 27, 2006, at McAllen Medical Center in McAllen, Texas. Funeral Mass will be held 10 a.m. today, Monday, March 6, 2006, at Our Lady Star of Sea Catholic Church in Port Isabel. Interment will follow to Port Isabel City Cemetery in Port Isabel. Funeral arrangements entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston St., San Benito, TX (956) 399-1331. BERTHA HELEN BIERSTEDT, 39, passed away Saturday, March 4, 2006, due to a traffic accident in Brownsville, Texas. Arrangements are pending under the direction of Guerra Funeral Home of Brownsville, 3955 Coffee Port Road, Brownsville, Texas 78521 (956)544-1171. MANUEL I. ZAPATA, SR. Manuel I. Zapata, Sr., died Friday, March 3, 2006, at Ebony Lake Nursing Home. He was born Jan. 26, 1910 in Historic Old Ciudad Guerrero, which is presently under water at Falcon Lake. His mother, a young widow with 7 children, fled to Laredo, Texas, from Ciudad Guerrero during the Mexican Revolution and Don Manuel, as he was affectionately called by his friends and colleagues, was raised in Laredo, Texas. Don Manuel was a World War II veteran, and served as a Sgt. in the Medical Corps under General Douglas McArthur from 1941 through 1945 in the Pacific Theater. He saw action in Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Philippines. After the war, he returned to Laredo, married, and then moved his young family to Brownsville, where he began a long career in agriculture in Northern Mexico. Don Manuel, was a pioneer cotton grower in northern Mexico during the era "When Cotton was King," in the late 1940s and all through the 1950s and '60s. At his beloved ranch, "Los Moros," Don Manuel was instrumental in pioneering a new crop, sorghum, in the region after the cotton industry ended. Don Manuel was preceded in death by his parents, Fabian and San Juanita Zapata, his beloved wife, Amparo R. Zapata, his brothers, Luis, Raul, Renato, Oscar, and Armando Zapata, his adopted brother, Hugo Zapata Muzza, and his sister Jose-phine Del Rose. He is survived by his children; Judith G. Rodriguez (Roberto) of Brownsville, and Manuel I. Zapata, Jr. (Vivian), of Carrollton, Texas; his 3 grandchildren; Vanessa R. LaWare (Paul) of Houston, David M. Rodriguez, of Galveston, and Col-leen Zapata-Pakuszewski (Frank) of San Antonio, and many nieces and nephews. The Mass of Resurrection will be today, Monday, March 6, 2006, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Everyone is asked to meet at the church. Services for Don Manuel will conclude at the church. Arrangements have been entrusted to Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd. Brownsville, TX 78520 (956) 546-7111. FRANCISCO H. CORONADO Francisco H. Coronado, 85, went into eternal peace on Saturday, March 4, 2006, at the Brownsville Nursing Home sur-rounded by his loved ones. He is preceded in death by his wife; Esperanza. Mr. Coronado is survived by his daughters; Eudelia Ramirez, of Palmette, FL., Norma Martinez, of Oneco, FL., Carmen Segura, of Ellenton, FL., Isabel Velez of Harlingen, TX.; Sons Abelardo Coronado of Homestead, FL, Francisco Coronado Jr. of Brownsville, TX and Gilberto Coronado of Bradenton, FL. He is also survived by 39 grandchildren, 28 great grand-children and 24 great-great grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Fernando Coronado and sisters Modesta Rodriguez and Carolina Mayorga. Visitation will be held on Monday, March 6, 2006 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a holy rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. at Fu-neraria Del Angel Buena Vista. Mass of Christian burial will follow at Good Shepard Catholic Church at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 7, 2006, with inter-ment to follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Francisco H. Coronado is a Veteran of WWII and received a Purple Heart. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Funeraria del Angel Buena Vista, cemeteries, mausoleums, and crematory 125 McDavitt Blvd. Brownsville, Texas 78521 (956) 541-5400. The Brownsville Herald 1135 E. Van Buren Brownsville, TX 78520 956-542-4301 1-800-488-4301 © 2000 The Brownsville Herald