Obituary of Pedro Villescas

PEDRO VILLESCAS SAN JUAN - Pedro Villescas, 94, went to be with our Lord, Wednesday, January 1, 2020 surrounded by family. He was a man of great faith who instilled in us that our Lord had to be first in our lives. Pedro was born in Edinburg, Texas on August 1, 1925. He was one of eight children born to Bernardino and Bernardina Soto Villescas, one of the pioneer families of San Juan who played an integral part in the building of the original Virgen de San Juan Shrine in 1956. He came from humble beginnings that were rooted deep in faith. On April 29, 1950, he married Maria C. Villescas with whom he shared 69 years of marriage. Dad began working at a young age and continued working, at times taking on two jobs to support his family. He took great pride in having provided his children with a Catholic school education. He had a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility towards his jobs and instilled in his children that having a job was a privilege and that we needed to protect it. At a young age he worked at a gas station, harvesting crops and field irrigation. He would later work in the cotton gins in the panhandle of Texas, move on to construction work, and later work with the Texas Highway Department for 20 years, as a member of a three-team crew installing and repairing signal lights on state highways across south Texas, before retiring. Pedro is preceded in death by his parents, Bernardino and Bernardina S. Villescas; his siblings Isabel Flores, Fortino Villescas, Jesus Villescas, Maria Cantu, Antonia Silva, and Marcelo Villescas; two brothers-in-law, Guadalupe Flores, and Agustin Cantu; his sister-in-law, Ninfa Villescas. Pedro is survived by his wife of 69 years, Maria C. Villescas, his seven children, Ramiro (Lil), Rebecca (Miguel) Regalado, Raquel (Andy) Arcaute, Ruben (Lydia), Juan Luis (Shirley), Minerva and Roberto Alonzo Villescas; 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grand children; his brother, Gavino (Rafaela) Villescas; sister-in-law Manuela Villescas; brother-in-law Sylvestre Silva; numerous nephews and nieces, and numerous cousins. We would like to thank all our family and friends who have sent their prayers, calls, and visits during this difficult time. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. rosary, Sunday, January 5, 2020, at Legacy Chapels 4610 South Jackson Road in Edinburg. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, January 6, 2020, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish in San Juan. Interment will follow at San Juan Cemetery. Funeral services are under the direction of Legacy Chapels in Edinburg.