Raul Sauceda

Weslaco- Raul Sauceda, beloved husband, father, grandfather and coach was called home by the Lord, on March 2, 2014 after a courageous battle with cancer. Raul was born in Mercedes, TX on December 8, 1936. He graduated from Mercedes High School in 1956, where he was a three sport letterman. He attended New Mexico Highlands on a football scholarship where he received his BS in 1961 and his MA in Education in 1962. He began his coaching career in California. In 1964, his Corcoran, CA baseball team won the district championship, and advanced three rounds in the playoffs. After 8 years, he returned to Texas where he coached at McAllen High School. In 1971, he left coaching to take a position with the Arkansas State Department of Education in Little Rock. In January of 1978, he returned to the Rio Grande Valley and opened Weslaco’s S&S Super Sports with his brother, Joe Sauceda. Raul returned to coaching in 1985. He coached in Weslaco High, McAllen Memorial, Santa Maria High School and Lyford High School.

He was very active in the community. Raul was a member of the Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, Planning and Zoning Board, Knapp Medical Center Volunteer. He was a long-standing member of the Knights of Columbus, serving as Grand Knight of Council 3098 and was also a 4th Degree Knight of the St. Padre Pio Assembly #2814. He was a past president of the Weslaco Little League organization and a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church where he was a Eucharistic Minister and a Lector.

Raul was preceded in death by his parents, Tomas and Virginia Sauceda. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 51 years, Paula Duran Sauceda; daughter and son-in-law, Patti and Brook Bradley and their daughter and son-in-law Brittany and Trevor West of Fort Worth; son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Wendy Sauceda and their children, Alex, Caitlin, Nathan, and Jacob of Austin; son and daughter-in-law, Javier and Selina Sauceda and their children, Daniel, Joshua, and Olivia of Houston. He is also survived by his brothers, Gilbert (Gloria) Sauceda of Lansing , Michigan and Joe (Viola) Sauceda of Austin, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family would like to thank his many caring doctors at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Oncology, especially Dr. Habib Ghaddar and Dr. Daniel Faray and their caring staff. Many thanks to Knapp Medical Center, both their nursing staff at the hospital and the staff of their Hospice Care Services.

Viewing will be held on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m, with a rosary at 7:00 p.m. at McCaleb Funeral Home in Weslaco. A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 10:00 am at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Weslaco. Interment will follow at Highland Memorial Park in Weslaco. Serving as pallbearers will be Jon Garza, Lawrence N Garza, Richard Garcia, Gregory Cano, Daniel Reza, and Ernie Flores. Serving as honorary pallbearers will Judge Gilbert Saenz, Joe Sepulveda, Phillip Martinez, Joe Calvillo, Alvaro Lopez, Rey Trevino, Victor Garza, Joe Ybarra, Alex Solis, Alex Estrada, Monte Churchill and Al Smith.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of McCaleb Funeral Home of Weslaco. Sign the online guestbook at www.mccalebfuneralhome.com.