Juan Benjamin Holguin, Sr., of Austin died peacefully on September 11, 2020. He was born March 31, 1945, in Juarez, Mexico, to Juan Romo Holguin and Aurelia Colmenero Holguin. The family moved to El Paso, Texas, in 1954 and Juan attended El Paso High School there. He remained loyal to La High and his high school buddies all his life. Viva La High!
After high school, Juan ventured to the Bakersfield area of California and worked harvesting crops as a farmworker there until he got a notice from the Selective Service System. In 1965, he was drafted into the United States Army, where he received medical training, and served in the US and South Korea until 1971. After his discharge he continued to work as a nursing assistant at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss and the clinic at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin until his retirement.
In 1968 Juan married Maria Alvarado of El Paso and they welcomed three sons, Juan Benjamin, Jr., Francisco David, and Eduardo. He loved being a father and later a grandfather and he was darn good at it. The family moved to Austin, Texas, in 1981.
Juan earned his US citizenship in 1969 and was always ready to talk about US politics. He followed the news and Jeopardy daily. Softball and the beer after the games (maybe not in that order) was his favorite sport and he played for many years with a team from St. Austin Catholic Parish.
His family and the people who had the honor of being in his circle at the Carousel Lounge or his other hangouts are mourning the loss of a truly unique man. He was a person of integrity always and a loyal friend and family member who accepted people as they were without judgment but knew his limits and was clear about them. He was a gentle yet strong man that babies loved and was generous to a fault. Most earthly possessions didn’t mean much to him but he savored the earthly joys of the five senses, touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Over the years he sheltered at his small house many folks that needed a place to stay. The front window of that house was his favorite bird and critter watching site and his phone is full of pictures of birds and other things he noticed in nature. He was calm, peaceful, sharp, positive, clear-thinking, and still pulled off being a very cool dude. That was the fun, spontaneous, great dancer Juan. There are many stories to tell by those who loved and were loved by Juan.
Juan is preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Cristina Holguin. He is survived by his sons, Juan Holguin, Jr. (Adrian), Francisco Holguin (Jana), and Eduardo, by his longtime companion, Charlene Ansley, and her children, Aaron Kullman (Lucy) and Linnea Kullman (Osie), by his siblings, Pablo Holguin, Salvador Holguin, Humberto Holguin, Rosario H. Corral, and Maria De Jesus (Susie) Cruz, and by grandchildren David Holguin, Claudia Holguin, Alejandra Dawson, Frankie Holguin, Natasha Holguin, Isaac Holguin, Chloe Kullman Murray, Delta Lucille Kullman, and Ruby Ray Kullman.
We are grateful to Juan’s nephew and his wife, Octavio and Kimberly Holguin, who graciously took Juan into their home during his last illness and to hospice for his final care.
There will be a visitation at Weed- Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar in Austin, on Wednesday, September 16, from 3 pm to 7 pm and at Funeral del Angel Restlawn in El Paso on Saturday, September 19 from 1pm to 5 pm. No services will be held at this time. Juan will be buried with military honors in a private ceremony at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. A memorial service is pending when we can safely gather again.
In lieu of flowers, Juan requested that donations in his memory be sent to Casa Marianella in Austin (casamarianella.org).
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