Jose Villarreal

A beloved husband, father, uncle, and friend, Jose Villarreal of Austin, passed away peacefully at his home on May 4, 2026, after a brief illness. Over his 78 years of life, he left a lasting impression on many through his wisdom, humor, and faith.

Joe was born on September 27, 1947, in Elgin, at the Elgin Butler Brickyard, to the late Jose Maria and Julia Villarreal. He graduated from Elgin High School in 1968, received a drafting certificate from Temple Commercial College in 1969, and later attended Austin Community College for real estate training.

He began his career designing oil-mining equipment before being drafted into the U.S. Army. While serving in the Army, Joe was stationed at the American Embassy in Brazil, where he worked as an assistant to the military attaché. After his Army service, Joe joined the Air Force Reserves, where he worked as a decoder. After leaving the military, he worked for many years as a property agent with the City of Austin Real Estate Acquisition Office.

Joe was a devout Roman Catholic who supported the Church by volunteering in numerous ministries, notably the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Mobile Loaves & Fishes, the Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound, and the St. Louis Catholic Church Parish Council. He was a faithful and active Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Assembly 2244, and a past deputy grand knight of Council 5967.

Throughout his life, Joe made several pilgrimages, prayed regularly with friends, and enjoyed spending quality time with his family.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Pauline Villarreal; brothers Eusebio Villarreal and Cristino Villarreal; brother-in-law Joe Gonzalez; and sister-in-law Augustina Villarreal. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, June Lobit Villarreal; his children, Angelica and Ricardo; his grandchildren; his sister, Frances Gonzalez of Elgin; his brother, Elpidio Villarreal of Dallas; and 12 nieces and nephews.

A rosary will be recited on Friday, May 22, at 6:00 p.m. at Cook-Walden Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held on May 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Interment will take place at Forest Lawn Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to the Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, PO Box 1961, New Haven, CT 06509, or through Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, https://www.kofc.org/what-we-do/charity/