Rolando A. Lopez, born on July 6, 1960 to Jesus and Anita Lopez in Crystal City, Texas, entered into eternal rest on October 7, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas surrounded by those he loved most.

Preceding him in passing are his parents Jesus Lopez and Anita Aguirre Lopez, as well as his brothers Jesus Lopez, Juan Lopez, and sisters Guadalupe Flores and Virginia Rios.

Rolando leaves behind a legacy of love and laughter to his daughter Alyssa Renee Lopez, sons Omar Roy Lopez, Benjamin Emanuel Lopez, and Saul Daniel Lopez. He will also be remembered by his brothers David Lopez, Carlos (Carol) Lopez, Cristobal (Irma) Lopez, his twin, Reynaldo Lopez, and his sister Virginia (Flabio) Hernandez. He will be incredibly missed by countless cousins and friends.

During his younger years he and his twin Rey caused plenty of trouble as many of his classmates remember many kids being scared of “Los Cuates”. When not traveling across the country as a migrant worker, Dad enjoyed playing plenty of sports as a child, from Little League baseball where he would often recount his infamous throw from left field to home plate to win the game, to competing with Lopez Boxing Club where he fought all across Texas under the direction of his coach, his brother, David Lopez. Dad attended Crystal City High School in Crystal City, Texas and LaSalle-Peru High School in La Salle, Illinois, but ultimately graduated from Crystal City High School in 1979. He was a standout football player for both the high schools he played for, winning Defensive Player of the Year and The Fighting Heart Award for the Mighty Javelinas in 1979. After high school, Dad played one season of college football before ultimately enrolling at the prestigious Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Skokie, Illinois. Dad graduated from Worsham College on March 10th of 1982 as the only Hispanic in his class and officially began his career in funeral service.

His interest for a career in funeral service came from a summer job at the local funeral home in Illinois and coming home to realize that his community needed another funeral home. While and after graduating mortuary school he worked for Belmont Funeral Home just two short blocks from Wrigley Field and his “Cubbies” which allowed him to be called by name from the players. While at Belmont Funeral Home he learned under the direction of his mentor Walter "Wally" Guglielmo Bassi, in which he often recount many stories of them working together or driving his mother to her appointments to his son Benjamin. Dad eventually decided to return to his home state and practiced as a funeral director and embalmer in San Antonio, Texas at Brookehill Funeral Home on the corner of South Flores and Southwest Military. Not long after, he decided he was ready to come home and serve and care for his community, purchasing his 1963 Cadillac Fleetwood Hearse and establishing Lopez and Sons Funeral Chapels and Lopez Flower Shop in Carrizo Springs, Texas in 1996 and a second funeral home just two years later in Crystal City, Texas. After his career in funeral service Dad would travel across the country hauling goods as a “Professional Driver” as he would tell us when we would complain about his driving. He would eventually “retire” but that entrepreneurial spirit never left as he would open up a game room and Benuli’s Bar and Grill in Carrizo Springs, Texas and run up and down Crystal City, to the casino in Eagle Pass and just about anywhere he was invited.

During the last 5 years dad spent most of his time at the local restaurants becoming a regular and favorite at just about every restaurant in town. He would often tell his kids that he was exercising by walking two miles a day. Only to find out he was walking a mile to Rebecca’s Cafe for his mini menudo or his chorizo, egg, and bean taco and then proceed to walk a mile back to his house. Our dad spent most of his afternoon playing cards at Juan Garcia Park with all his childhood friends. He would then make his way down to Jesse’s Bar and Grill to watch any game that was being played while having a friendly wager with his friends.

We will remember our dad for being unapologetically him. He was always the funniest guy in the room, constantly telling a joke or a funny story regardless of time and place. Dad stained his clothing with every bite of food he took and then would proceed to wipe it with his finger and lick it, and he ate plenty. We will now miss the constant phone calls of him needing help with technology and getting a laugh out of how frustrated he would become in those moments. Dad enjoyed his days shopping at the “Mexican Malls” with us and his brothers driving from estate sales, flea markets, and thrift stores all day long. He was a man with a big personality but an even bigger heart, constantly helping anyone who needed it, whether it was moving a car or furniture to helping people stranded on the side of the road. We could always call dad when something went wrong with a car or just about anything and he almost always knew how to fix it or as he would say “I MacGyver it fácil vato”. He loved us endlessly, as we were his pride and joy, he always called my Alyssa mija and we were always referred to as “His Boys” and he never forgot to mention how proud he was of us. We also know that deep down he never stopped loving my mom, constantly asking is she need anything and bringing her a Bill Miller’s Apple Pie with a note say “ fuistes mi manzana de cada dia” he also loved my sister Ehmma as his own and he made sure she knew that love as he called her the night before he passed. Ultimately our dad taught us how to love one another and what it meant to be strong and resilient, constantly telling us “no tienes miedo, tu no mas dale jack”. 

Although he will be missed by so many, the memories he made with everyone he encountered will be cherished for years to come.

We Love You Dad.