Andres Vega Jr.

On March 23, 2025, Andres Vega, Jr. passed to eternal rest peacefully while surrounded by his family.

He was genuinely dedicated to the love of his life, Olivia. Married for 64 years, they were always together for family functions, attending their children's sports and band events, church events, and other community activities. Sundays after church were spent traveling throughout the Rio Grande Valley with the kids in the back seat, showing them the sights of this great valley and its beaches. He and Mom travelled to the Holy Land, where he was baptized in the Jordan River and walked the streets Jesus walked.

God first.

Andres was born in Brownsville, Texas, on February 26, 1937, and was raised in Los Fresnos, Texas, where he attended school and graduated from Los Fresnos High School in 1955. Go Falcons!

Andres served the United States Armed Forces, 7th Army from 1957 to 1959, stationed in West Germany, and received an Honorable Discharge for honest and faithful service on April 30, 1963.

In 1963, Andres graduated from the Rio Grande Valley Police Academy. He began his law enforcement career with the Brownsville, Texas, Police Department. From 1963 to 1972, he was a Uniformed Patrol Officer, Criminal Investigations Detective, Special Intelligence Service, District Attorney Case Preparation and Liaison Officer, and Director of Narcotics - Intelligence Services.

In 1972, Andres was promoted to Acting Police Chief, and later that year, he earned the position of Police Chief, which he proudly served and represented through 1989. While serving as Chief, he attended Texas Southmost College and earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree. He attended Pan American University, and earned Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (Magna Cum Laude) in 1979. He continued his education in crime, law enforcement and criminology, community policing, and forensics, to name a few. He attended the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and attended crime and criminal justice seminars. He was a member of the Texas Police Association, serving as President from 1982 through 1983.

Andres promoted education and looked to the future, positioning, developing personnel in training and advancement curricula.

He maintained his sworn responsibility to serve & protect and its symbol, “the badge,” with integrity, honor, and respect.

From November 1989 to April 1990, Andres served as Brownsville Acting Texas City Manager, from April 1990 to 1993 as Assistant City Manager, and from 1993 to 1997 as City Manager.

Truly blessed and called by His Father in Heaven, Chief Vega, Andy, "Ane" (named by his mother and father), strived to accomplish everything he set out to do. Everything he put his mind to was completed with great love, compassion, courage, and bravery.

After retirement, on many days, you would see him driving the streets of Brownsville in his F150 or at the corner Whataburger, meeting with friends to catch up and discuss the news of the day. Or perhaps at the local coffee shop, where he'd meet with retired law enforcement officers and members of the Silver Badges.

In his earlier years as police chief, he was part of the Brownsville Police Department baseball team. He then began to join his fellow LEOs in a game of golf. Later, his joy became hunting, white wing, javelina, and deer until the long travel and his ailments caused him to retire from hunting. You fed us well, Dad - deer guisado, deer tamales, and deer chili. Loved it all!

So much like his father, he tinkered with tools and woodworking, creating tables for mom when she needed that extra side table. If he didn't know how to do it, he'd figure it out. Lopsided or not, it always worked, and we loved him even more for it. Thank you, Dad!

Dad, you're now healthy, whole, and catching up with your family and friends who have arrived before you. Jesus made a place especially for you next to Him. Perhaps selfish, but we wish you were still here, but because you are now whole and no longer suffering, we will wait for our own time when we are called to see you, in Heaven, with our Heavenly Father.

We love you so very much.

We will take it from here.

2 Timothy 4:7 -

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Jer 29:11 -

For I know the plans I have for you, to give you a future and a hope.

Tetelestai - "It is finished"

Andres is survived by his wife: Olivia G. Vega; his children: Andres Angel Vega (Lisa) and Cynthia Stella Vega; his siblings: Maria Esparza, Anita Vega (Allen), Brigida 'Nena' Dominguez (Leroy) and Alfredo Vega (Amparo); his grandchildren: Andres Aaron Vega and Adrienne Estella Vega.

Andres was preceded in death by his parents: Andres Vega, † and Nicolasa Salazar Vega †; his siblings: Vicente Espinoza †, Jose Macario Vega †, Antonio Vega † and Maria de la Luz Vega †.

A visitation for Andres will be held Tuesday, April 1, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM with a Rosary at 7:00 PM at St Luke Catholic Church, 2800 Rockwell Dr, Brownsville, Texas 78521. A mass will be held Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 10:00 AM, 2800 Rockwell Dr, Brownsville, Texas 78521. Followed by a burial at 11:00 AM at Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens, 4464 Old Port Isabel Road, Brownsville, TX.