Frank Ybarra Duran

Frank "Birdy" Ybarra Duran went to be with the Lord on December 7th, 2016 at age 70. Frank was born in the Magnolia/Mason Park area on the East End of Houston, Texas on September 25, 1946. He was nicknamed "Birdy" by his older sister Virginia because she said when he was little his hair looked like feathers of a "pajarito".

Frank served honorably in the U.S. Army from 1963-1966. As a member of Alpha Company, 2nd/7th Cavalry "Garryowen", 1st Cavalry Division, his tour of duty started with the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley, An Khe in Vietnam in November 1965 and continued through December 1966. Many of the operations and battles he endured are well documented in the book, "Baptism, A Vietnam Memoir" by Larry Gwin, his company commander and also in the Mel Gibson movie, "We Were Soldiers".

After returning from Vietnam, Frank became a machinist at Hughes Tool Company. Later he went to school to be an electrician. He loved fishing, bowling and was a Little League Baseball coach. He was a member of the American Legion Harrisburg Post #472 and was a well known patron of the many sports bars in the East End.

Frank is survived by his sons and their wives Dion and Diana and Randy and Crystal, his sister Martha "Lala" Garcia, brothers Martin, Arnold, Al, Pete, Jesse, and Gilbert, nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild, numerous nieces and nephews and longtime life companion Dora Trevino and her daughter, Rachel Olivares and family. He is preceded in death by his parents Pedro and Juanita, siblings Julian, Gonzalo, Virginia, Moses, Alfred, nephew Thomas and niece Alexandra.

Frank will be remembered and missed by all.

A Memorial Service will be held at Crespo Funeral Home - Broadway on Saturday, December 17, 2016.

Private Family Memorial 4-5 PM, Public Memorial 5-9 PM, Rosary 7-9 PM.

He will be laid to rest at Veterans Memorial Cemetery Houston in January 2017 with full Military Honors.