Agustin Zamarripa

AGUSTIN ZAMARRIPA PHARR – Agustin Zamarripa, 91, passed away on May 14, 2015 after a lengthy illness. He was born in Galveston, Texas on April 14, 1924 and was the first born son of Abundio Zamarripa and Maxima Ordonez Zamarripa. His parents were early settlers in Pharr, settling in the area around 1914. A longtime resident of Pharr, he leaves behind a son, Gilberto (Blanca) Zamarripa, and a daughter, Leticia Zamarripa (Juan) Silva, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Abundio Sr. and Maxima; a brother, Jesus; a sister, Elvira; as well as a grandson, Steven Florido. He was affectionately known to his nephews and nieces as “Tio Pin” who will truly miss him. He was compassionate lover of animals and an avid reader who self-educated himself. He spoke some German, as well as the two languages he grew up with, English and Spanish. Early in his life he worked with his father in the small produce business they worked with. After coming back from serving in WWII he worked with various cotton gins shuffling workers to various farms for numerous summers. Eventually he headed to St. Charles, Illinois where he worked for the Alumax Company until his retirement. Agustin is survived by several brothers and sisters, Juanita, Carmen (Refugio Sr.) Castillo, Jose (Adelida), Raul (†Rulalia), Ruben, Roberto (Eva), Rosa, Abundio Jr., Ernesto (Ana Maria) and Erasmo (Rosalinda). Agustin served in the U.S. Army during World War II being inducted in 1943 at the age of 18. He trained at several camps, Camp Wallace, Ft. Bliss, Camp Steward, Santa Maria Air Field, California, and finally at Ft. Bragg. He was assigned to the 7th Army as a cannoneer and field artillery and served in the European Theater of War. At the end of the war he remained in Germany in the army of occupation where he served in the Saar region at Trier, Heidelberg, Manheim, Munich and finally at Karlsruhe. During this time he also visited Berlin, Paris, Brussels and other cities of Europe. Upon his discharge he was awarded the Marksman Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Germany, and the Victory Medal. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a 1 p.m. funeral service Monday, May 18, 2015, at Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan. Interment will follow at Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission. Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan.