Raquel "Rex" Uranga Jr.

Rex Uranga went to the Lord on Friday, March 24, 2023, after a lengthy illness. He was born in Alpine, Texas, to Rex Uranga, Sr. and Felicita Sandate Uranga, both of Alpine, Texas, on September 19, 1948.

He was married to Carol Garcia Uranga, and had four sons, James Rex, III, Uranga of Midland, Texas; Marcos Omar Uranga Demarco and 2 daughters, Uriel Dai and Estephana Rae, and John Paul (Rebecca) Uranga and 3 children, John Paul Rex, Julius Armando, and January Ember of Gardendale, Texas; and David Rey Uranga of Orlando, Florida. He has 5 grandchildren and 6 step grandchildren. He graduated from Sul Ross University in 1974 and worked with Conoco, Inc. until his retirement in 1999. He also worked with Flynt/British Petroleum until October of 2005.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Rex and Felicita Uranga, and 2 sisters, Merced Uranga and Berta (Luis) Hernandez and his brother, Armando Uranga.

He has 2 sisters, Lorina Uranga, from Alpine and niece Divonne Uranga and Maria Elena (Jesse) Juarez from Palmdale, California. He has one Aunt on his mothers side, Berta Sandate, of Del Rio, Texas. He has numerous nieces and nephews and many, many friends in Alpine, Texas, that are left to cherish his memory.

He was employed by Safeway in Alpine for 5 years, while attending Sul Ross, and was known as Hercules by many of the customers, because of his strength. After graduation, he was employed by Conoco, Inc. and moved to Pecos, Texas, where he became President of the AFL-CIO chapter, traveling to several national conventions, representing the West Texas chapter. He served as charter member of the Barrio Lions Club in Odessa and was relocated to Kermit in 1979, and helped found the MAGA (Mexican American Grupo Auxiliar) organization. He was a member of the Catholic Church in each of the towns he lived in. He was particularly proud of his heritage as a campsite cook, his grandfather Rosendo Uranga and his father Rex Uranga, Sr. were distinguished BarBQ chefs. His sons, John Paul, Marcos, and David have all worked at Paisano Baptist Encampments where they help serve campfire meals to the enrollees. He moved to Gardendale, Texas, and lived in that community raising goats and chickens, since 1991. He was particularly proud of his vegetables gardens, and he was very generous with his crops, delivering them to anyone of his neighbors and friends who wanted them. He cherished the friendships he had with Jesus and Blanca Sotelo among his many other neighbors. His favorite hobbies were fishing with the Aranda brothers from Kermit, and hunting, with his best friends, Carlos Briones of Kermit, Joe Louis Rodriguez of Carlsbad, NM; and, Cruz Valencia of Pecos, Tx. He valued his relationships with his brothers in law and sisters in law and all the Garcia extended family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made at the 7th Street and Texas Trust Bank under Hispanic Heritage of Odessa LULAC.