Eleuterio R Zavala

Eleuterio R. Zavala, known to everyone as a man with a quick joke, a warm smile, and a knack for making friends anywhere he went, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2025, surrounded by family who adored him beyond words.

Born in Moroleón, Guanajuato, Eleuterio built a beautiful life that took him across many Texas towns — Fredericksburg, Bellville, and Port Lavaca — each one holding memories of laughter, hard work, and family gatherings that stretched long into the evening. For 64 wonderful years, he was married to his beloved Maria Delcarmen Zavala. Together, they built a family and a love story that began on June 18, 1961, and never stopped growing. They loved to dance and were a wonder to watch glide across the dance floor.

In a way, Eleuterio lived many lives — from his early days working in a turkey plant, to shaping landscapes under the Texas sun, to managing meat markets and produce aisles. He loved sharing recipes and stories with customers who often lingered a little longer, just to hear his cheerful laugh or pick up a bit of kitchen wisdom. A true people person, he never met a stranger, only friends he hadn’t yet made.

He found joy in the simple things — the rush of an early morning hunt, the tug of a fish on his line, and the satisfaction of tending to his garden or chasing off squirrels which he rivaled with year after year. It wasn’t strange to find him butchering a deer on the kitchen table. He loved cooking shows and often dreamed of becoming a chef, experimenting in the kitchen with meals like persimmon cornbread. He always had a tortilla in his hand which he used like a napkin. He was amazed that the secret to catching fish wasn’t fancy bait at all — just cornflakes and Big Red — a discovery that became one of his favorite stories to tell. He referred to freshwater as sweetwater and found much joy in those waters.

Every day, he’d come home for lunch to eat with his family, a small but steadfast ritual that spoke to the heart of who he was: someone full of life, humor, and heart.

He was a storyteller through and through. If you gave him a few minutes, he’d take you right to the riverbank where he and his brothers fished as boys, swapping jokes and catching memories as easily as they caught fish. Or he’d talk of the time he ate turtle soup.

Eleuterio is survived by his loving wife, Maria Delcarmen Zavala; his daughters, MaryLu Lopez and Diamantina Baggerly; granddaughters, Luisa Jasmine Gordon, Gesenia Lopez, and Karina Janish; and his great-grandson, Uriah Janish — who will grow up hearing the same lively stories that made so many of us smile.

Though his chair at the table is now empty, his stories, laughter, and warmth will forever fill the hearts of those who loved him.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the family's GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/225c33a5e

A Celebration of Life will be held 2:00 PM on Friday, November 14, 2025 in Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, located at 14501 North Ih-35, Pflugerville, TX 78660, United States.