Francisco Carlos Carrillo was born on December 3, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas to Refugio and Dilia Carrillo and remained a vibrant member and leader of his communities in Lubbock, Texas and Grand Prairie, Texas. He passed away on July 27, 2015, after a valiant and noble fight from complications with Scleroderma.
Francisco spent his youth working in the fields with his family. He would always start school after the crops were harvested, but knew the only way to get ahead was to pursue an education. He believed that “Education is Freedom and Freedom is everybody’s Business.” He was the first in his family to graduate from Thomas S. Lubbock High School. He saw the value of an education early in life and used the G.I. Bill to attend and graduate from Texas Tech University. He graduated with a degree in Political Science. His goal at that time was to work for the government, where he hoped to use his dual languages in his profession. He joined the Army after the death of his mother and was stationed in Korea. His college career was interrupted by his service in the Army and resumed when he was honorably discharged. After returning to college, he worked at Guadalupe Neighborhood Center and served on numerous committees. He started the Guadalupe Boy Scouts organization and participated in everything that could better his community.
He worked for many organizations in executive and managerial positions. He loved flying and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He formed LEARN Educational Search in Lubbock, Texas where he was able to help many young people obtain scholarships and attend college. He was also a founding member of the Cinco de Mayo Committee in Grand Prairie, Texas. Through his work with this committee a total of nearly a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships has been awarded to students in Grand Prairie schools.
He was offered a position in Washington, D.C. and relocated his family there in 1973. He returned to Texas after four years in Washington. When he returned to Texas he was hired by the Small Business Administration as their Vice President of Economic Development. The City of Dallas made him an offer he could not refuse and he was a Business Analyst for the Economic Development Department for 26 years. He retired from the City of Dallas in 2010. At the time that he relocated to the Dallas area, the Navy recruited him to their Intelligence Division because of his educational background and his linguistic abilities. He served in the Navy Reserves for 20 years and retired from the military in 2010.
Francisco loved politics and was the first Hispanic to run for public office in Lubbock County. He ran for County Commissioner for District 3 against an entrenched incumbent. His campaign was incredible and run with dignity. He never lost his love of politics and community involvement. He believed that politics was the opportunity to right the wrongs against the minority community.
He was a person that commanded respect and gave that respect to all he came in contact with.
Francisco was devoted Christian man – committed to his church and family. He believed that the “Family that prays together, stays together.” He loved traveling, skiing, the outdoors, dancing and giving back to his community and church. He traveled to China, Brazil, Argentina, India, Mexico, the Bahamas and many other countries. His first church was St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lubbock, Texas where he served as an altar boy from the time he was 8 years old until long after he was married. He and Gloria were married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on March 27, 1965, and their three children were all baptized there. His heart remained with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. His rosary and funeral mass were celebrated in Lubbock, Texas.
Survivors include his spouse, Gloria Margaret and the following children and survivors: Dilia and Robert Singley and children: Ethan Elkins and Madeleine Singley; Francisco Anthony Carrillo and wife, Melody and children: Isabel Katherine Carrillo and Gabriel Carrillo; and, Margaret and Bryan Powell and children: Jack Hudson Powell and Rhett Ashton Powell.
His family and friends will remember him as a generous, kind and gentle man with heart-warming smiles. His goodness, integrity and service to others are profoundly admired and missed by all who knew and loved him. Francisco leaves behind a devoted family and legions of individuals who have been touched by his example.
Visitation will be Wednesday, July 28, 2015 from 5 – 7 p.m. with rosary at 7 p.m. at Bean Massey Burge Funeral Home in Grand Prairie, Texas. Rosary will be at Resthaven Funeral Home in Lubbock, Texas on July 29, 2015, with Funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lubbock, Texas at 10 a.m., July 30, 2015. Final Internment will be Friday, July 31, 2015, at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery at 9:15 a.m. Francisco was laid to rest with full military honors.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18