Guadalupe M. Hernandez, 88, entered into eternal rest on Friday, March 24, 2023, at Harlingen Medical Center in Harlingen, TX. He was born on April 16, 1934, at El Sauz Ranch in Willacy County, TX to Delfino Hernandez and Irene Martinez.
He is survived by his sons, Jose (Patricia) Hernandez, and Manual (Norma Linda) Hernandez; daughters, Francisca (Ricardo) Longoria, and Maria H. (Eustacio) Rubio; brothers, Roberto and Delfino Hernandez; 17 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and 23 great-great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Bentura R. Hernandez; son Ubaldo R. Hernandez; and his parents Delfino Hernandez and Irene Martinez. Brothers; Jose Solis, Lousiano, Julian, Celedono, Jose Maria (Chemo), and Juan; sisters; Calletana, Felipa, Louciana, Francisca, Isabel Bernarda, Antonia, and Aurelia.
His father, Delfino Hernandez, worked at El Sauz Ranch until our Lord called him to heaven in 1938. Guadalupe was 4 years old when his father died. At age 4 Guadalupe was hired as a cowboy helper and went to work at El Sauz Ranch. He was so young and small that his brothers had to actually sit him on the horse and get him off at the end of the workday. Time went on and the Hernandez family along with their widowed mother, Irene Hernandez, started working as migrant field workers as cotton pickers in the northern states.
It was in Mississippi where Guadalupe met the “love of his life” Bentura Ramirez, and they fell deeply in love and were married the same year in La Mesa, Texas on December 2, 1951. Guadalupe then went to work as a cowboy at Armstrong Ranch, Texas until he was hired to work in the maintenance department for the Texas Department of Transportation in 1953. Guadalupe worked at the Texas Department of Transportation for a total of forty and a half years and retired at the age of 58. One day, Guadalupe went home and told his wife Bentura, “I just bought a home for us” and they moved to 428 W. Durham, Raymondville, TX 78580 in 1965. Later on, they purchased their second home at 804 E. Norman. The Guadalupe and Bentura Hernandez family lived there until they tore down that house and built a brand-new brick home on the same lot, but changed the address to 695 S. 14 street, so the house could face west. We are very proud of our loving father who would give his shirt off his back to help his family when in need. He learned to be an extremely hard worker and a great provider and continued to do so for as long as he could. Our father Guadalupe Hernandez was a great inspiration and a true blessing to our entire family. We love and miss you Dad, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Great Great Grandfather with all our hearts and souls. May God bless you “Grandpa Lupe”.
Visitation will be today, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, from 2:00 P.M. at Good Shepherd Funeral Home. Another day of visitation with occur Thursday, March 30, 2023, from 8:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. with a rosary service at 7:00 P.M. at Good Shepherd Funeral Home. A funeral mass with be held Friday, March 31, 2023, at 10:00 A.M. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church with interment to follow at Raymondville Memorial Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers are: Darren, Derick Ramirez, Joey Hernandez, Fernando Romo Jr., Manuel Hernandez Jr., and Leo Hernandez. Honorary pallbearers are Jacob, Mario Jr. Morua.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the caring hands of Good Shepherd Funeral Home, 1157 W. Hidalgo Ave., Raymondville, TX 78580.
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