The Brownsville Herald - Online Edition Obituaries, September 6, 2006 GEORGE R. MCDONALD, 74, of Brownsville, passed away Sept. 5, 2006, in Brownsville. A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are under Treviño Funeral Home, 1355 Old Port Isabel Rd., (956) 542-2583. WILLIAM JOSEPH SZPAK JR. William Joseph Szpak Jr., 33, of Los Fresnos, passed away Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006, at 5:26 p.m. in Austin, Texas (Lake Travis). William is survived by his loving wife, Silvia A. Szpak; his daughter, Kaylin Nicole Szpak; sons, William Shaquille Szpak, Sebastian Joseph Szpak, parents: William Joseph Szpak Sr. and Margarita B. Szpak, of Los Fresnos; brothers, Stephen Andrew Szpak of Los Fresnos, Christopher William Szpak of Jacksonville, Fla., and Paul Jason Szpak (Indira) of San Antonio; sisters, Maria Szpak-Garcia (Miguel) of San Benito and Julia B. (John) Runnels of Newport, Va. He is also survived by 21 nieces and nephews and several aunts and uncles. He is preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Andres and Beatriz Barrera and paternal grandparents, Stefan and Julia Szpak. William was a 1991 graduate of Los Fresnos High School and a member of St. Cecilia Catholic Church. He was employed with Valley Baptist Medical Center as a pharmacy technician. William was an avid basketball player and will be remembered by his friends and family as a jokester and a person that enjoyed life. His favorite hobbies were basketball, bowling as well as going to and watching movies at home with friends and family. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a holy rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 6, 2006, at Thomae-Garza Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, 2006, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Los Fresnos. Interment will follow at Los Cuates Cemetery in Los Fresnos. Pallbearers will be Christopher William Szpak, Paul Jason Szpak, Miguel Garcia, Bienvenidos Burgos, Leo Aguilar, and Abel Escalante. Words of comfort may be sent to the Szpak family at www.thomaegarza.com Funeral services entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, TX 78586 (956) 399-1331. PEDRO S. PUENTE SR. Pedro S. Puente Sr., 71, entered into the loving arms of the Lord on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2006. Mr. Puente was born on February 26, 1935, to Celemente Puente and Asuncion Sagrado Puente. At the age of 5, he became a resident of Weslaco, Texas and attended school there. He later started his business, Puente General Concrete Industry. Pedro was a devoted parishioner of St. Joan of Arc for 50 years and also a member of the Knights of Columbus where he was the leader of Squires. He was highly involved in the reconstruction of the San Martin de Porres bell and the demolition and rebuilding of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, as we know it today. In 1960, he was the Golden Glove Champion of South Texas and was very proud of that title. Throughout the Rio Grande Valley he was known as a kind hearted, fun going individual that enjoyed his quarter horses and horse racing. Mr. Puente was a loving husband and devoted and caring father to his six children, 21 grandchildren and a great-grandchild, who survive him and will forever cherish his loving memory in their hearts. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years of marriage, Asuncion Cancino Puente; his son, Pedro Jr. (Eva) Puente; his five daughters, Patricia (Mario) Ramos, Priscilla (Tim III) Hernandez, Pamela (Miguel III) Gomez, Pauline (Jorge) Gonzalez and Peggy (Andy) Cavazos. Also surviving are his two oldest grandchildren, Paul C. Puente and Peter C. Puente, whom he raised; a sister, Teresa P. Perez; and numerous other relatives. Visitation was held from 1 to 9 p.m. and a holy rosary was recited at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006, at McCaleb Funeral Home Chapel in Weslaco. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m., today, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006, at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Weslaco. Interment will follow at Highland Memorial Park in Weslaco. Arrangements are under the direction of McCaleb Funeral Home in Weslaco, (956) 968-7533. EDUARDO ANDRES LUCIO SR. Eduardo Andres Lucio Sr. entered into the loving arms of the Lord Monday, Sept. 4, 2006, at his residence at the age of 89 years. Mr. Lucio was born on Nov. 10, 1916 in Brownsville to Teodoro Lucio and Maria Antonia Lopez Lucio who preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death were his brothers: Santana, Daniel, Teodoro, Samuel and Jesus Lucio and his sisters Beatriz, Aurora and Eva Lucio Richardson. Left to mourn his death and forever cherish his memory are his loving family, his wife, Josefa Liendo Lucio of 64 years of marriage; his 10 children: Beatrice (Albert, Jr.) Rodriguez, State Sen. Eddie (Minnie) Lucio Jr., Bertha (Ruben Sr.) Caballero, Mary Helen Lucio Garza, Maggie Arellano, Jesse (Ada) Lucio, Joe (Adita) Lucio, David (Melba) Lucio, Bob (Diana) Lucio, Richard Lee (Kim) Lucio. He is also survived by 24 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Also surviving him are two brothers, Luis (Consuelo) Lucio from Brownsville and Conrado (Emma) Lucio from Riverside, Calif. On December 30, 1941, Mr. Lucio volunteered and joined the United Sates Armed Forces. In 1942, he served and fought in Morocco, Algiers, and Tunisia, North Africa. On July 3, 1945, he received and honorable discharge/enlisted record of separation from the Army of the United States. Decorations and citations include: the EAME ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, 4 Bronze Service Stars, and 4 Overseas Bars. In 1996 during a ceremony held in McAllen, Texas, World War II ribbons and medals were pinned on Mr. Lucio by then Vice President Al Gore. In 1946, he acquired his private pilot license. He flew single-engine airplanes, Piper Cubs for Mauldin Aircraft. In 1950 Mr. Lucio received his Associate Degree in Business from Brownsville Junior College/TSC. After this degree, he took extension courses from La Salle University and also attended Texas A&I in Kingsville. Using his educational background, Mr. Lucio found employment at the Cameron County Courthouse in the Sheriff's Office where he worked for 30 years. His title was Deputy Sheriff and the last three years he served as Head Office Deputy Sheriff. He retired in 1979 at the age of 63. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, St. Luke and St. Mary's. Mr. Lucio's legacy to his children and future Lucio generations is love of God, education, patriotism, and public service. His philosophy of education reflects the accomplishments of his children and his grandchildren who have degrees in law, counseling, chemistry, medicine, business, pharmaceutical sciences and technology. His favorite past times were spending time with his grandchildren, visiting his ranch, playing and watching golf, working cross-word puzzles, and barbecuing. His generosity was demonstrated by his manner in giving to the less fortunate. Mr. Lucio was a lifetime member of the Veteran's of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and the Disable American Veterans. Pallbearers will be his six sons. Honorary pallbearers will be his two brothers and all his grandchildren. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. with the holy rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. today, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1913 Bernard St. in Brownsville. Mass of Resurrection will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday morning at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Friends and family are invited to meet at the church. Entombment will follow at the Buena Vista Burial Park Mausoleum. Military Honors will be conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Guard and the Disabled American Veterans under the direction of Commander Luis Lucio. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Joe I. Treviño, Garza Memorial Funeral Home, 1025 E. Jackson St., Brownsville, Texas, (956) 542-5511. In lieu of flowers, the Lucio family requests that memorial donations be made to the First Tee Greater Brownsville, P.O. Box 3027 Brownsville, Texas 78523 or the South Texas Shelter Foundation, P.O. Box 5958 Brownsville, Texas 78523, because of Mr. Lucio's great passion for the sport of golf and in honor of four generations of golfers in the Lucio family. Also of equal importance was his love and desire to help families in need by assisting in the construction of handicap ramps and other improvements to their homes. The Lucio family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Lorenzo Pelly, Dr. Roberto Robles, The Veteran's Administration (VA) Clinic in Harlingen, Valley Baptist Medical Center at Brownsville, and the entire staff at the South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital on Alton Gloor Boulevard. In addition, the Lucio family thanks Mrs. Rosario Salinas, Eucharistic Minister at St. Mary's Catholic Church who brought Mr. Lucio Holy Communion daily. The Brownsville Herald 1135 E. Van Buren Brownsville, TX 78520 956-542-4301 1-800-488-4301 © 2006 The Brownsville Herald