Raul Reyes Mondragon

Raul Mondragon Sr., a devoted husband, a loving father, grandfather, passed away on August 24 at the age of 81 at Del Sol Hospital in El Paso. Before being called home to God, Raul valiantly fought his chronic illness to have his loving family by his side for his final goodbye. Raul was a proud USAF Veteran, an El Paso business owner and an involved community member. He will always be remembered by all who knew him as a man of great character, a role model for his kindness, compassion, and intellect. Raul embodied the work ethic and traditional family values of his generation. Raul was born in Mexico City, on January 9th, 1934 and raised Methodist. The remarkable story that reveals Raul’s perseverance began when he was only 9 years old when his parents separated and his mother returned to her home town of El Paso; leaving him with relatives for many years before he could immigrate into the country. Casting aside difficult circumstances and rising to the challenges, he persevered as a great student. Raul graduated from El Paso Tech High School at age 17. In March 1953, Raul realized his dreams of serving his adopted country in the United States Air Force. He studied at Sheppard AFB, became an Airman First Class, he served as a Navigator and Mechanic for the B-26 airplane. He served during the Korean War, in active duty for four years then the reserves until 1961. Having the aptitude for mathematics, he studied Mechanical Engineering at Texas Western University. His selfless and loving devotion to his mother kept him from leaving El Paso. In 1959, Raul married the love of his life, Irma Gonzalez de Andrade, who he met in downtown El Paso where they both worked while they were students. Within five years, they had 4 children. Raul worked in the Life Insurance business for over 15 years. Driven by his desire for lifestyle and self-realization, Raul started a Pest Control business and returned to college while providing for his family. He earned a BBA degree from UTEP in 1979. Throughout his dedicated family life, Raul was an active community member and took pride in his civic responsibilities. He was a beloved Boy Scouts of America troop leader for many years and relished in the many Eagle Scout ceremonies that he would later attend. Raul was an active member of the El Paso Pest Control Association where he served for many years as an officer and as President. He was a member of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce. Raul was a supportive Alumna of UTEP and enjoyed attending their football, basketball games and many tail gate parties; although the Dallas Cowboys were always his favorite team. The hobby he most enjoyed was photography and his quiet time in his dark room developing photographs. He took pride in his handyman skills and enjoyed making and fixing many things with his shop tools. Raul is survived by his beloved and devoted wife of 55 years, Irma Mondragon, son Raul Jr. and wife Anna Walsh-Mondragon, daughter Elizabeth and husband Herman Contreras, daughter Lourdes and husband Gjermund Kvalem, son Alberto and wife Rocio Mercado-Mondragon. His eight grandchildren: Nick and Ivan Mondragon, Benjamin and Joanna Contreras, Natalia and Tatiana Kvalem, Gabi and Mateo Mondragon; his dearest cousin, Humberto Mondragon from Mexico City and his sister-in-law, Maria Dolores Carrasco and her beloved family.Raul will always be remembered as a proud family man; for his kind-heart; his playful sense of being; his embracing and friendly nature; and for his humility. The family would like to thank the healthcare professionals at the Del Sol Medical Center for their skillful clinical support and compassion. Their loving care made a difficult time easier. Memorial Service from 10:30 am –11:30 am on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at Hillcrest Funeral Home 1060 N. Carolina with Funeral Service at 11:30 am. Inurnment Service, honoring Raul, will be held at 1 pm at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Raul R. Mondragon Scholarship fund at The University of Texas at El Paso; 500 W University; Kelly Hall 6th floor; El Paso, Texas 79968.