Florentino Lopez Jr.

Florentino "Tino" Lopez, Jr., 90, passed away reaching for his beloved wife, Dolores "Lulu" Lopez. He was born the 5th out of 12 children to Andrea Estrada Lopez and Florentino Lopez, Sr. on September 10th, 1932. Living a charmed life not on Walton's mountain, but Lopez mountain. His parents grew fruit trees, raised chickens and a family with love and hard work. Dad often told stories of being a paperboy, delivering the Kansas City Star at 4am. In 1951 as flood waters consumed the KC stockyards, he stood at the edge of a cliff with rope in hand, lassoing and hauling in two pigs home, before the animals were swept away in one of the largest floods the Kansas City area ever had. These pigs were used to feed the entire neighborhood as food was challenging to find.

All those who knew and loved him will forever remember Tino Lopez as a strong, personable, helpful, and kind man. Always open to good conversation. There was a quiet competence to his solid 5'8" physical frame. As a youth they called him "Tiny Tank".

Florentino graduated from Manuel High School then joined the U.S. Army, after a short stint, he re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he would retire after 20 years.

In the early 50's while on furlough at home, dad met our mom, Dolores Lozano, who more than matched his might. They had five children, Kathy, Stephan, Philip, Lisa and Theresa, born in cities and countries where the Air Force sent them, from Louisiana to Spain. He was a veteran of the wars in Korea and Vietnam. As a Tech Sergeant he worked security holding the keys to the nuclear silos at Whiteman Air Force Base. He experienced the northern lights while working in locations such as Korea, Spain, Vietnam, Missouri, Michigan, Louisiana and the bazaars of Morocco.

Upon retirement from the Air Force, Florentino finally settled down in Kansas City in the Coleman Highlands area, working for Missouri Gas Energy as a meter reader until he retired at 63, where they lived out the rest of their lives.

Family was everything to dad, although, proud of his service to country, he rarely talked about his excursions with his band of brothers till recently. His voice often choked with pride and emotion just to speak of them. Dad was a self-taught carpenter, electrician, plumber all trial-and-error, who spent the rest of his life helping his family and friends, building decks, fences, walk-ways, lawn care, cleaning basements or just lending a hand because it made him happy.

At 70, he could still sling 60-pound packs of shingles or sling a 70 pound bag of concrete across his broad shoulders and scale a ladder to fix a roof. At 89, he was working atop our sister's garage, cutting branches, then on his knees, laying pavers.

In public, he proudly wore a Korean Vietnam baseball cap displaying his love of service to country. He lit up when strangers often thanked him for his service about the military.

As dad struggled to live without mom, he mentioned how proud he was of his children and what they have accomplished. We lost the patriarch of our family, but his children and grandchildren will continue to carry their legacy forward by the hard work, willingness to give, helping others and love they have instilled in them.

Florentino is survived by his children, Kathy (Bobby) Dellinger, McKinney, Texas; Stephan (Frances) Lopez, McKinney, Texas; Philip (Nora) Lopez, San Antonio, Texas; Lisa Lopez, Kansas City; Theresa (Genaro) Villanueva, Mission, Kan. His eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Dad’s surviving members of his family are his brother and wife, Jesse and Linda Lopez. Predeceased by his mother and father, Andrea and Florentino Lopez, Sr; his sisters, Martina Newton, Henrietta Carillo, Dolores Noland; and his brothers, John Lopez, Albert Lopez, Richard Lopez (MIA), Joe Lopez and Paul Lopez.

A visitation for Florentino will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2023 starting at 8:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help- Redemptorist Catholic Church, 3333 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. Committal will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, 2201 Cleveland Ave., Kansas City, MO 64127. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mcgilleymidtownchapel.com for the Lopez family.