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Submitted: 1/2/20 • Approved: 1/2/20 • Last Updated: 1/5/20 • R251269-G0-S3
MAJOR US Air Force
Vietnam
Persian Gulf
August 21, 1938 - June 6, 2019
Air medal
(See Veteran marker)
*Photo courtesy of Sue Stevenson
*Obituary
Mission - Surrounded by his family, Ernesto Pena, peacefully entered eternal life on Thursday, June 6, 2019.
Ernesto, eldest son of Ernesto and Ninfa Pena, was born in Mission, Texas on August 21, 1938. He attended Mission schools and continued his education by receiving a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Pan American College now known as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He proudly served in the United States Army Reserve beginning in1961 and in 1964, joined the United States Air Force. After serving in the Vietnam War as a navigator of B-52s, Ernesto retired in 1970. He then served in the United States Air Force Reserve until 1984 as an Air Force Major totaling 23 years of military service. Ernesto also served as the Executive Director of the Mission Housing Authority from 1971 to 1984. Upon his retirement from the Housing Authority, Ernesto truly began a life of hunting, fishing and enjoying his vacation home at Long Island Village in Port Isabel with his children and grandchildren.
Ernesto was preceded in death by his parents, Ernesto and Ninfa Pena and his nephew, Humberto (Betito) Pena. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Rosario (Chayo) Pena, his daughter, Norma (Milton) Lopez, his son, Ernesto III (Lupita) Pena and his four grandchildren who were his pride and joy, Alan Lopez, Evan Ernesto Pena, Ethan Rene Pena and little Ezabella Pena. He is also survived by three brothers, Fernando, Joe and Bobby Pena, two sisters, Margarita Lozano, Mary Lou Perez and various nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 10, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission with a Rosary recitation at 7:00 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on Tuesday, June 11, at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow at the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Ernesto's nephews: Xavier Pena, Omar Pena, Rick Lozano, Eduardo A. Garcia, Javier Ramon Garcia, and Rene I. Martinez.
Honorary pallbearers will be Alan Lopez, Evan Ernesto Pena, Ethan Rene Pena, Humberto Lozano, Art Martinez, Tomas Perez, Isidro Garcia, Ricardo Martinez, Lee Garza, and Abelardo Casas, Jr.. Services are under the direction of Ric Brown Family Funeral Home of Mission.
Published in The Monitor on June 11, 2019
Contributed on 1/2/20 by MryAl8
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Record #: 251269