Alfredo "Fred" Moreno

October 17, 1941 – June 1, 2026

Alfredo “Fred” Moreno – de El Segundo Barrio … El Chuco, Tejas … El Paso, Texas – passed away after a brief illness on June 1, 2026 in the city that was forever his true love. He was 84, but as he’d be quick to remind you, “age is nothing but a number.”

Fiercely independent, sharp witted, and social until the end, Fred kept going and going until his body could no longer keep up with his indomitable spirit. He is dearly missed yet his loved ones take comfort in knowing that he is once more free to play beach volleyball, hold court standing at the corner of the bar, and tidy up obsessively in a better place.

Fred was the last (and, depending on your perspective in the moment, one of the most charming traviesos) of a spectacular generation of Morenos, all now reunited once more.

They were the sons and daughters of Reyes y Avelina – 12 in total – who rose from the tenement apartments of Segundo Barrio to fight in World War II and Korea, become local tall tale legends, Southern California real estate brokers, UTEP pioneers and super boosters, history-making politicians, bar and restaurant owners/operators, Tejano Democratic party leaders, dedicated public employees, decorated golfers and bowlers, and all around bon vivants who each left an unforgettable imprint on all those who spent time with them.

Freddy grew up getting in and out of minor trouble, playing a little baseball, making friends (some of whom were still by his side 70 years later), chasing girls (las gabardinas), and attending school at El Paso Tech until life took him in another direction. Through it all, he dutifully fulfilled his family’s high expectations of service.

When his older brother Paul (who went on to serve 40 years in the Texas Legislature) was paralyzed in a diving accident, a newly teenaged Freddy took on a physically and time intensive supportive role in the era before ADA amenities. It was one that would evolve in adulthood while serving as Paul’s longtime legislative assistant in Austin and El Paso.

He enjoyed several fulfilling years in Long Beach, California (Belmont Shore), his home away from home, and did a year-long stint in Albuquerque, but always found his way home to the Sun City, eventually retiring here after many years as a Texas Lottery claims center manager.

Fred was the best groomed and effortlessly fashionable guy any of us knew, but ultimately a man of simple pleasures and, like most of us, plenty of contradictions.

He was a professionally trained mechanic whose cars always seemed to be breaking down. He was both generous and a little careless with money. He adored his extended family, yet was a good bet to be the last to arrive and the first to leave a gathering. His record as a husband and father was far from perfect, but in some of his loved ones’ biggest moments of need, he was there.

He almost never drank at home, but absolutely loved a cold, longneck beer (con sal y limón) with friends old and new in an ever changing setting of bars and lounges around town. Well into his 80s, he made his way each night to the L&J Cafe and/or Applebee’s on Yarbrough to have one or two, grab a bite, collect or dispense funds from his latest NFL pot, and just enjoy his community.

His friends, family, colleagues, and bartenders, knew what a meticulous, demanding pain in the nalgas he could be, but loved him all the same. When he was on, nobody was more magnetic, funnier, or irresistible.

Fred had four children (Randy, Crystal, Lisa, and Alfredo) who each reflected distinct chapters of his winding life and he enjoyed being a feisty abuelo to seven grandchildren and uncle to many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his aforementioned parents, brothers and sisters, his grandson Rian, and wife of 35 years, Carol.

Family and friends are invited to honor his memory with a celebration of life service and Fred Moreno style reception on Friday, June 19.

● Celebration of Life: 11:00 a.m. at Funeraria del Angel Central (formerly Martin Funeral Home), 3839 Montana Ave, El Paso, TX 79903.

● Tailgate Party Reception: Everyone knows that Fred loved the pregame festivities more than the game itself (and often didn’t need a game at all). With that spirit in mind, a classic tailgate-style reception will follow the service at the home of his beloved niece, Yolanda Clay.

Please bring your favorite memories, your best stories, and join us in saluting this one of a kind El Pasoan.