Juan T. Vela Sr., 77, entered his eternal rest on November 8, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was born December 29, 1945, in La Parrita, Falfurrias to Enrique Vela and Josefa T. Vela. Juan graduated from Falfurrias High School and earned his associate degree in welding. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was a hard worker with a great passion for welding; the reason why he founded, with his beloved wife Gloria, Vela’s Welding Services, taking his expertise and passion to the oilfield for over 40 years. Juan always knew how to put a smile on your face and make you laugh. He adored entertaining his grandchildren, joking around with family, and cooking. His favorite pastime was being with his beloved wife traveling and at the casinos playing “the maquinitas” as he called them, he loved dancing and watching wrestling “luchas” as he called them on tv. He brought so much joy and love to his family. He will be forever missed. He was preceded in death by his parents, Enrique Vela and Josefa T. Vela, siblings, Leonilda Vela, and Alejandro Vela. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gloria A. Vela; his siblings, David Vela (Victoria) of Falfurrias, Roel Vela (late Jeanie) of Falfurrias, Lydia Uribe (Felipe) of Aguadulce; Children, Abraham S. Flores (Elena) of Alice, Nellie Ann Martin (Dana) of Alice, Adrian Flores (Estella) of Alice, JoAnn Flores Bergoon (Russel) of San Antonio, Carlos Flores (Jessica) of Corpus Christi, Juan Vela Jr (Marisa) of Edinburg, Rachel Cavazos (Chris) of Searcy, Ruby Eskridge (Jack) of Edinburg, Jose Angel Vela of Edinburg, and Juan Jose Vela of Bloomington; 19 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins. Visitation was held Tuesday, November 14, 2023, from 12 – 2 p.m. with a Holy Rosary recited at 2 p.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 2:30 p.m. at Rosas Funeral Home Chapel. Services concluded at the funeral home chapel. Funeral arrangements entrusted with ROSAS FUNERAL HOME, INC.
