Manuel Felix Barrera

Manuel Felix Barrera, 86, of Premont, Texas, died on March 16, 2013. He was born on October 26, 1926 in San Antonio, Texas to the late Felix and Isabel Barrera. He was a Veteran of World War II, having voluntarily served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946. After basic training in San Diego, CA and Bainbridge, MD, Manuel served in the Pacific on the Philippine Islands of Leyte and Samar as a gunmen’s mate attached to Seabees. When he arrived in Guam, Gen. Douglas McArthur was departing. Manuel came home after the war ended in May of 1945 and attended Escuela Bancaria y Comercial in Mexico City, where he graduated with a degree in accounting under the GI Bill. While there he met and married his wife of 62 years, Delpha Moran Barrera. They lived in Acapulco for ten years while managing an auto parts store. Then in 1959, they moved back to Texas where Manuel worked as a life insurance salesman and realtor in Kingsville, Texas. He then managed his small “Milagro Ranch” and a section of the “Los Braziles Ranch” which has been owned by the Barrera family since it was received by the family as a Spanish Land Grant in the 1780’s. Besides being a proud and active member in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. Post 2375-Kingsville, he was a charter member of the Premont Knights of Columbus Charter #5348, a Cursillista and a lifelong member of St. Theresa’s of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church in Premont. He is preceded in death by his parents, Felix and Isabel Barrera; brother, Hector Barrera and sister, Elmina Hagy. His survivors are his wife, Delpha Moran Barrera; three daughters, Timmie (Alfred) Medina of San Antonio, TX, Monica (Adrian) Gonzalez of Austin, TX and Sandra (Jose Gilberto) Tovar of McAllen, TX; son, Patricio Tomas Damian (Kate) Barrera of Manhattan Beach, CA; eleven grandchildren, Matthew (Amber) Medina, Alex Medina, Adrian, Javier, Catherine and Jacqueline Gonzalez, Andres and Pablo Tovar, Frances, Margot and Audrey Barrera; three great-grandchildren, Peter, Timothy and Joshua Medina; two step-grandchildren, Alfred A. (Diane)Medina of Andrews, TX and Christopher (Letty) Medina of Gurnee , IL and six step-great-grandchildren, Andy and Joey Medina and Rachel, Danielle, Christopher and Clare Medina.

The family would like express their most sincere thanks to the staff of the Premont Rehab Nursing Home for their love and care of their loved one.

In lieu of floral arrangements please make donations to the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church – P.O. Box 560, Premont, TX 78375.

Pallbearers will be: Matthew Medina, Adrian Gonzalez, Alex Medina, Javier Gonzalez, Andres Tovar, Pablo Tovar and Oscar Daniel Garza.

Honorary Pallbearers will be: W.V. Isham, Jr., Edelmiro Perez, Luis Rey Guerra and Hector Recio.

Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at the Funeraria Del Angel Howard Williams in Falfurrias with visitation beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Premont.

Burial will follow at the Premont Cemetery.

Please join us in honoring our loved one, Manuel Felix Barrera, by visiting our memorial website at www.funerariadelangelhwilliams.com. Arrangements are entrusted to Funeraria Del Angel Howard Williams, your Dignity Memorial provider.