Our beloved Father Rufino De La Cruz, Lt. Col. USMC (retired), age 93, passed away Friday, May 1, 2020 after a long full life. He is a Bowie High School Bear graduate, he earned his BA in Education from the University of Texas El Paso, and his MA in Education and Counseling from Sul Ross State University.
He served 42.2 years active military and civil service. He is a decorated military combat veteran who defended his country with valor in the Pacific during WWII, in Korea and 3 tours in Vietnam.
Throughout his military career, he served as an MP, a Drill Sargent and Commander of the 19th Rifle Company. He also worked as an El Paso Police officer and a football coach at Bowie High School. After his retirement from active duty, he served as a civil servant until his retirement in 1985. He then served his community by becoming a parole officer and ultimately teaching math to 7th graders at Magoffin Middle School and English as a second language nights at a local community center. He retired from the El Paso Independent School District in 2002. Rufino, also known as “Del” or “Archie” was extremely dedicated to serving his country, his community, and his family. He was proud of and enjoyed spending time with his wife Carmen of 50 years, his 8 children, and their spouses Rose (Hilario) Mendoza, Walter, Kathy, Susie, Thomas Michael, Vanessa (Edward) Pando, Karen and Marissa. He also enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and their spouses Amber (Jay) Hernandez, Jason Bechtel, Octavio Segura, Nicholas (Stephanie) De La Cruz, Josh and David Pando. His 8 great grandchildren brought special joy and pride to his life: Sophia, Jakob, Mychal, Charlotte, Gabriel, Rafael, Daniel, and Carmen.
He is preceded in death by his parents Jesus De La Cruz and Dolores Rivas De La Cruz, his wife Carmen, and his son Thomas Michael. He is survived by his sisters Josefina Wright and Guillermina De La Cruz, his children, his brothers/sisters (by marriage) Victor (Amelia), Adalberto (Diane), Julieta, their children as well as his friends of the 19th Rifle Company.
Funeral services are managed by Del Angel Funeral/Martin Funeral Home Central, located at 3839 Montana Avenue, El Paso, Texas 79903. Visitation is (limited to 10 people at a time) Wednesday May 6 from 5pm – 9pm. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the private rosary is at 6pm (limited to 10 Family members). A private interment (limited to 10 Family members) will be held on Thursday May 7, 2020 at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Formal service with military honors is tentatively scheduled for October or November this year, date TBD. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that donations be made to the El Paso Cancer Society, Hospice of El Paso and or the El Paso Humane Society.
Our family would like to express our most heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful care provided to our Father by Araceli Silva (10yrs) and Olivia Lane, (3yrs). Our heartfelt appreciation to his primary care physician Dr. Estevan Quirarte at the El Paso Veterans Administration who cared for Him with the respect and dignity he deserved. His cardiologist, Dr. Uzodinma R. Dim, his oncology surgeon Dr. Nelson at WBAMC, his urologist Dr. Carass and the nurses/staff of the urology clinic as well as all of the doctors, nurses, support staff at the El Paso VA, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Sierra Medical Center, University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas and Hospice of El Paso.
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