Hector Carranza

Retired LTC Hector Carranza, age 93, passed away in his hometown of El Paso, TX on April 6, 2020. Hector served his country in the U.S. Army during the occupation of Germany after WWII and through two wars. After retiring from the military, he was an active, valued member of the El Paso athletic and education community.

Born in Sunset Heights, Hector attended Vilas School and El Paso High School, where he participated in football and track. After graduating in 1945, he was immediately drafted for service in WWII. The war had ended when Hector arrived in Vienna, Austria, where he was stationed for one year. Upon returning to El Paso after the war, he enrolled at Texas Western (now UTEP) as an ROTC cadet. Hector graduated with a degree in business administration and was commissioned as an Army 2nd Lieutenant, Field Artillery. He saw active duty as an artillery photo interpreter in Korea and was awarded a Bronze Star. Hector was stationed in Saigon during the Vietnam War, and later had assignments in Germany, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic before retiring from the military as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1971.

Always energetic, Hector wasted no time in adopting a second career as a track and field official for El Paso schools. He officiated high school and college meets for three decades, his hard work culminating in his selection to be a timing judge at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA. Hector was inducted into the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.

Hector is survived by his wife of 68 years, Bertha Saldivar Carranza, grandson Kevin (wife Jillian), and daughter in law Nancy; sisters Virginia Robert, Beatrice McMillan, and Hortencia Asti; and brothers Cesar and Jaime. He is preceded in death by his son Hector Jr., parents Eneas and Elizabeth, sisters Mirella Hill and Stella Chuck, and brother Joe.

Services entrusted to Martin Funeral Home East