Genaro V Lopez

Weslaco- Genaro Velasco Lopez, 91, passed away on Monday, June 6th, 2016. He was a WWII veteran serving in the European Theatre. Genaro was born in Brownsville to Manuel V and Angela Lopez. He was the middle child and had 6 siblings, Juan B, Santiago, Benito, Manuel, Trinidad, and Angelita. He graduated from high school in Brownville. Immediately after high school, Genaro would enlist in the Army-Air Corps to serve our country becoming a sergeant. He was a WWII veteran serving in the European Theatre and would defend our nation at Normandy and Bastogne. After his military service he would return to Brownsville and began a long career in the auto industry. He would relocate to Weslaco and worked for Ed Payne Motors as service manager and was Ed's right hand man. When most people retire, he went on to work for Burton Auto another 26 years and handled almost everything and anything that needed to be done, from managing to counter sales. In the meantime, he raised two families. He would have eight children in total. Surviving children are Dr. Genaro Coronado Lopez (Lee), Steve J Lopez (Yolanda), Sylvia Saenz (David), and Rosalinda Trevino (Ovidio) from his first marriage, then Angela Pena (Dr. Pablo), Ida Diedrich (Tom), Jose Lopez (Soundra), from his second. As hard as Genaro worked, he would still come home and play with the children. He also enjoyed fishing and picnics at Delta Lake. He loved being a grandpa and would pick them up from school and take them to the park to play. He loved boxing and football and would enjoy watching both sports with his children. The kids fondly remember that he loved to teach them about freedom and defending freedom. This was very important to him and he was determined to instill this in his children. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Rosa Elena Ramirez-Lopez, his son Ruben Lopez, his brothers, Juan B Lopez, Santiago Lopez, and Benito Lopez. Serving as pallbearers will be Thomas Michael Diedrich, Brandon Diedrich, Tom Diedrich, Joe Lopez, Nicholas Torres, Ruben Joseph Lopez, and Ruben Lee Gonzalez, Dr. Genaro Lopez Sr., and Alex Carmona.