Victor Michael Firth

February 15, 1960 – May 17, 2023

Victor Michael Firth died peacefully in his home on May 17, 2023 after a 10-month battle with cancer. Born on February 15, 1960 to Virginia L. White and Victor V. Firth, both of whom have predeceased him, Victor is survived by his loving wife of nearly 37 years, Sylvia Borunda Firth, the Borunda Family, his beloved fur kids, Cara, Referee and Rocky, and many, many beloved friends.

A 1977 graduate of Eastwood High School, Victor received his B.B.A. in Finance with highest honors from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1981 – the only Top Ten Graduate in his class to earn a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He then attended the University of Texas School of Law, meeting his future wife and life-partner, Sylvia, on the first day of classes, and received his Juris Doctorate in 1984.

Victor began practicing law with Crowe & Dunlevy, P.C. in Oklahoma City. In 1986, he joined Grambling-Mounce law firm in El Paso, Texas, ultimately becoming a shareholder. In 2020, Victor left Grambling-Mounce to form his own law firm, creating a well-respected firm where lawyers could earn a good living, while also having a great quality of life, enjoying their families, contributing to the community, and having time to pursue other interests. He was fortunate to find like-minded partners and Victor M. Firth, P.C. became Firth, Johnston, Martinez, P.C., and finally, Firth, Bunn, Kerr, Neill, P.C.

Licensed to practice in Oklahoma and Texas, he was a very gifted commercial real estate attorney and enjoyed a successful career representing numerous local lending institutions, real estate investors and developers, and many El Paso businesses. He quietly lent his experience to several El Pasoans, including domestic violence victims and low-income entrepreneurs, often on a pro-bono basis. He also made himself available to countless lawyers in reviewing property and business documents, mentoring many attorneys in transactional law.

Victor was very proud of the firm and was very grateful to his partners, Ed Bunn and Alex Neill, his legal assistant, Faynelle Poe who worked with him for more than 25 years, Letty Fernandez, and the rest of the firm staff for their support during his long illness.

Victor was a great conversationalist and a masterful storyteller, knowledgeable about a vast array of topics. He could talk to anyone and would often be found at the center of a party crowd telling a colorful joke.

His favorite topic was sports and Victor was knowledgeable about many different sports. A very competent athlete himself, he held his own on a golf course, tennis, basketball, or racquetball court. Victor completed numerous marathons and was training for his second triathlon at the time of his diagnosis. He learned to read racing forms at a young age and could handicap horses and play pool – very well. But the sport he loved most was football.

In 1988, Victor began officiating football, eventually becoming a Division 1 collegiate football official. He worked hundreds of football games in the Sunbelt, Mountain West, Western Athletic, C-USA, and American Athletic Conferences, and officiated several post-season conference championships and bowl games. His last officiating assignment was the 2021 Army-Navy Game, which he considered the greatest honor of his football officiating career.

In 2005, he and his partner, Richard Corona, established the West Texas Football Clinic, a training camp in El Paso to provide training and placement opportunities for individuals interested in becoming college football officials. For the past 18 years, over Memorial Day weekend, top-caliber NFL and NCAA officials and hiring supervisors gather in El Paso with people aspiring to work at the higher levels of the sport. Hundreds of candidates have travelled to El Paso from across the country, including Hawaii, to attend this clinic, learning from the best football officials in the business, and to be seen by those responsible for hiring football officials for various conferences.

His love of college football was also reflected in his long service as member of the Sun Bowl Association Team Host Committee. In 2021, Victor was inducted into the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition for his storied career as a football official.

Victor’s legacy is one of service – service to his community, to the legal profession, and to collegiate football. His absence will be felt by many, but his well-lived life and its impact on his vast circle of colleagues, friends, acquaintances, and clients will be far-reaching.

Visitation and Rosary vigil service will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2023 at Martin Funeral Home-West, 128 Resler Dr. El Paso Texas. The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday June 6, 2023 at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1118 N. Mesa St. El Paso, Texas. A reception continuing the celebration of Victor’s life will be held immediately after the mass at the Foundation Room of the El Paso Community Foundation, 333 N. Oregon, El Paso, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation be made in Victor’s memory to the Victor M. Firth and Sylvia Borunda Firth Fund, providing scholarships for West Texas students studying law, stipends for law students working for non-profit or governmental entities, and legal services for veterans and other underserved individuals, through the El Paso Community Foundation, P.O. Box 272, El Paso, Texas 79943.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MartinFuneralHomeWest.com for the Firth family.