Frank Benavides, Jr.

Frank Benavides Jr.

“Flaco, Nuno, Frank Jr. and Popo”

Oct. 8, 1954 – May 15, 2020

             Long time Beeville resident Frank Benavides Jr. passed away on Friday May 15, 2020 at approx. 7am at Heights of Atascosa Nursing Home in Pleasanton, Texas.  He is preceded in Death by his parents Frank Nunez Benavides and Nora Rosales Benavides also from Beeville, Texas.  He is survived by his girlfriend Mary Elva Garza Villarreal from Beeville.  He is also survived by one daughter, Tiesha Lynn (Chris) Cantu of Beeville and one son, Frank (Roxana) Benavides of Loveland, Colorado.  Grandchildren include Christopher Ryan Cantu, Chelsea Lynn Cantu, Estrella Maria Benavides, Kendall Pearl Benavides, Ashton Marcelo Benavides.  He is also survived by two brothers, George (MaryAnn) Benavides and Larry Alex (Leticia) Benavides Sr. both of Austin, Texas; one sister, Nora Alice Benavides Gonzales of Beeville.  Nieces and nephews include Juliana Benavides, Joshua Martin Benavides, Larry (Elexis) Benavides Jr., Michael (Crystal) Benavides, all of Austin, Tx.  Czrina (Chris) Ybarra, Richard (Vanessa) Sauceda Jr. both of Beeville.  Their children included Zaya Celine Benavides of Austin, Caileigh Alicia, Cayla Liselle, Christi’Ani Leigh, Christopher Lee Ybarra, Osias Baldemar, Asael Gage, Sereia Quinn Sauceda, Cayson Steven Barrera, Chanel Gabrielle Ruiz all of Beeville.

             He was born Frank Benavides Jr. on Oct. 8, 1954 at Beeville Memorial Hospital here in Beeville, Texas.  He was the oldest child of 4 born to Frank and Nora Rosales Benavides Sr.  He  lived the first 11 years of his life with his parents and grandparents at 413 N. Archer where he started his Lifetime friendship with the last names of Beasley’s, Robinson’s, Smith’s, Barrera’s, and Segovia’s which were all neighborhood boys running the streets and playing ball.  This is where he started to play sports and was exceptionally good at it.  He started playing for the AFGE (American Federal Government Employees) Little League team under the Coach J.T. Teel in 1964 at Southside Little League.  Then in 1966-1967 he moved to the major league with the AFGE and was coached by none other than Coach Chris Loeffler.  He excelled in baseball as he did most sports and was pretty much always on the All-Star Team at the end of the season.  He continued playing ball and other sports in Junior High and then in High School at A.C. Jones where he earned the nickname of “Flaco”.  In his high school years, he played Football, Basketball and Baseball and was named in the Dave Campbell Sports Magazine as one of the Top Players for this Area.  He graduated High School in May 1973.  During his senior year he decided to join the Marine Corp with his buddies Salvador Rincon, Butch Cardenas, Amado Silva and Bernie Almarez who all played on the football team.  During this time, he wanted his parent’s blessings to join the Marine Corp. and his mom said “OK” just do not get a Tattoo, he never did.  He also told his dad that he was going to Graduate out of boot camp as the platoon guide, which is the person carrying the Guidon which is the platoon flag.  His parents went to pick him up at the San Antonio airport coming back from Boot Camp and as he said he was the Guide.  The Guide of the Platoon is the ONLY person graduating in Dress Blues which is an Honor.

             During his service of 6 years in the United States Marine Corp. as Lance Corporal (E-3) Frank Benavides Jr. He married Barbara Anne Wilson in 1977 and they had two children together, Tiesha Lynn and Frank Benavides III.  Then in Nov. 17, 1990 he married Phyllis A. Young; they had no children and later divorced.  In 1993 his parents or rather his mom Nora Rosales Benavides decided to open Mi Familia Mexican Restaurant and he worked there as a waiter until the closing of the restaurant when his parents retired in Jan. 2011.   During his time in Beeville he was on the Bowling Team, Dart Teams, and The Beeville Pool Billiards Team.  During this time in his life his team qualified several years in a row for the National Billiards Tournaments in Las Vegas, Nevada.  As most people in Beeville knew, “Don’t play Darts or Pool” against Flaco. 

             Five Days before his 62nd birthday he had a stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side and he never recovered from that.  During his stay at the VA home his girlfriend Mary Elva would continue to visit him and some of his friends.  Even one his friends breaking him out of the VA home where he went MIA for a while, but he was sent back.  All of his family would go and visit him on weekends and spent as much time as possible there, plus making it to the Esparza Family Reunion where he participated in the family washer tournament and took 3rd place even in his wheelchair.  Whenever there was money or prizes concerned, he always wanted to win.  He remained between the Audie Murphy VA in San Antonio and the Frank Tejeda VA home in Floresville, Texas for the remainder of his life.  He passed away at the Heights of Atascosa in Pleasanton, Texas peacefully. 

             He was an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys and the San Antonio Spurs going to several games that his brother George and wife MaryAnn took him to.

             Pallbearers are Frank Benavides III, Larry Benavides Jr., Joshua Martin Benavides, Richard Sauceda Jr., Chris Ybarra, Chris Cantu, Christopher Ryan Cantu and Cheslea Lynn Cantu.  Honorary Pallbearers are Michael Benavides, Juliana Benavides, Alejandro Rosales Jr.

            He was a member of Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church and a member of the Alamo Defenders Descendants Associations.

            Visitation will be held from 3-9 pm on Thursday, May 21, at Oak Park Memorial Funeral Chapel. A rosary will be recited at 7 pm by Deacon Santos Jones. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 am on Friday, May 22, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church with Fr. Richard Gonzales as celebrant.

            Interment will follow at Beeville Memorial Park Cemetery with full military honors being rendered by the Bee County Honor Guard.

OAK PARK MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL

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