Rene Joaquin de la Fuente

On March 26, 2021, Rene Joaquin de la Fuente, passed away peacefully at home at the age of 93. Dad spent his early years living in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, where he attended school run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. He left school at a very young age to help support his family. At the age of twenty, Dad came to the United States with a middle school education and speaking only Spanish. His career would start when he enlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Biggs Air Force Base in El Paso until he was honorably discharged as a TSgt. with the National Defense Service Award. It was at that time that he met the love of his life and later his wife of 59 years, Josefina Casas. Dad received his degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas Western College (UTEP) while at the same time raising a family.

Dad was a brilliant engineer whose career spanned over a period of twenty-one years. He worked for Douglas Aircraft Corporation as Lead Missile Test Engineer in the Nike Hercules and Nike Zeus missile pre-flight test area. For the next sixteen years, he worked for NASA at White Sands Missile Range as an Instrumentation Engineer. His work helped achieve one of America’s greatest accomplishments, landing a man on the Moon during Apollo 11. Because of his role on the team that made the Apollo 11 space program a success, Dad’s name is inscribed on the Apollo Monument in the U.S. Space Walk of Fame in Titusville, Florida.

Dad lived as he preached, you can achieve all your dreams with hard work and perseverance. His personal side was as passionate as his professional side. His pride and love were his family. He and Mom spent many occasions dancing and enjoying life. Dance floors were not always necessary as they wore out the carpet in the living room once the Latin tunes started playing. Our grandmother would close the drapes hoping the neighbors were not watching them dance. In his later years, he would continue to dance for Mom by her bedside. He was a compassionate and loving example to all of us. The life lessons he taught us will forever be engraved in our lives. He was a great steward of the church. His faith and dedication to God was never compromised. No amount of time would have prepared us for your passing, but we rest in the thought that you are reunited with Mom. We will deeply miss you.

Dad was preceded in death by his loving wife, Josefina, his sister, Josephine Hunt, and his grandson, Anthony Michael de la Fuente. He is survived by his five children, Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Ret.) Ricardo Casas (his nephew whom he raised as a son), Dr. Rene J. de la Fuente Jr., (Menira), John de la Fuente (Dr. Deborah Villalba), Roseanne de la Fuente Rueda (Victor), Josefina de la Fuente (Adrian); nine grandchildren, Rene III, Gabriel (Tamara), Major Daniel Rueda, USMC, Monique (Suzanne), Matthew (Elizabeth), Christopher, Megan, Lauren and Hanna; ten great-grandchildren, Dylan, Kai-ra, Camran, Rasia, Marques, Aubrey, Tamia, Brendon, Austen and Bryson; his beloved niece, Linda Moreno, Esq., and numerous nephews and nieces.

We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Gregory E. Martin for his care and support.

Visitation will be Sunday, April 11, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with Vigil Service at 11:30 a.m. at Martin Funeral Home West. Funeral Mass will be Monday, April 12, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church. Graveside Service will follow at 10:30 a.m. at Fort Bliss National Cemetery for immediate family members only due to current restrictions.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Holy Family Catholic Church, c/o St. Patrick Cathedral, 1118 N. Mesa, El Paso, TX 79902.

Services entrusted to Martin Funeral Home West, 128 N. Resler Dr. El Paso, TX 79912. www.MartinFuneralHomeWest.com.