Juan Chavez, Jr.

Juan Anaya Chavez, Jr. of Alpine, Texas passed away on May 12, 2023, at Pecos County Memorial Hospital in Fort Stockton, Texas at the age of 91 from health issues.

Juan Chavez was born on July 29, 1931, in Terlingua to Lucia Anaya and Juan Gomez Chavez.  He was born and raised, until his teenage years, in Terlingua along with his brothers Manuel and Alfonso, and two sisters Manuela Vega and Josephina Iniguez.  He liked adventuring throughout the area of the mines where his family lived.  He raised goats and collected water for the family, gathered candelilla for making candles, firewood for cooking and heating.  He also dried and stripped the cactus agave for making rope as he was taught by his dad Juan, Sr.  Our dad also ventured a couple of times along with this wife and children to San Carlos, now Manuel Benavides, to visit his relatives and enjoy the beautiful sites at San Carlos.

My grandfather, Juan Chavez, Sr., due to his health problems moved his family to Alpine, Texas.  Our dad, Juan Chavez, Jr., worked in the construction of the Administration and Education buildings at Sul Ross State University.  He also worked at Centennial School for a few years.  He then moved the family to Odessa, Texas where he worked for World Coating, stripping, and recoating battery tanks, along with his brother-in-law Ruben Chacon and Vivian Dominguez.  He also worked at Alpine Independent School District as a custodian and bus driver for many years.  Later, he was hired at Big Bend Telephone Company where he retired twice.  Juan was also a member of the Knights of Columbus here in Alpine, Texas.  He liked working on his own vehicles.  His favorite baseball team was the Houston Astros and football team the Denver Broncos.  He also loved playing cards and dominoes with his family and arguing whose turn it was.

He was preceded in death by his wife, our mom Leonor Chavez, and daughter Evangelina.  He is survived by his daughters Manuela “Nel” Chavez, Rosa Maria Ramirez, Patricia Hambach, and Carmen Chavez; two sons Daniel and Juan “Chacho” Chavez, III; fourteen grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; and ten great-great-grandchildren.

Honorary Pallbearers are his sons Daniel and Juan “Chacho” Chavez, III, his grandson Andrew Chavez, son-in-law Wes Hambach, grandson-in-law Robert LeBlanc, and Robert Polanco (Knights of Columbus).

Praying of the Most Holy Rosary will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church with services to follow at 10:00 a.m.

Online condolences may be left at:  www.alpinememorialfuneralhome.com

Services have been entrusted to Alpine Memorial Funeral Home in Alpine, Texas.