MIDLAND - Roberto H. Herrera died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on Mar. 8, 2023, in Midland. He was born on June 7, 1937 in Presidio County on the San Esteban Ranch between Ft. Davis and Marfa.
As a young boy, he attended Blackwell Elementary in Marfa. As the oldest in the family, he would walk his younger siblings to and from school every day. He was brought up on a ranch and helped his parents with everyday chores. In 1947, the family moved to Lenorah, where he attended a rural school in Valley View up until the 5th grade during which time the school became consolidated with Grady ISD. Afterwards, the family relocated to a cotton farm owned by Jim Franklin in Greenwood where Roberto attended school until the 7th grade. Thereupon, he worked full time alongside his father on the farm until the early 60’s.
In 1962 he married the love of his life, Agripina Herrera, and later moved to Midland. He and his wife raised two children while he worked for the Texas Department of Transportation for 29 years. He received many safe driver awards until he retired in 1999. He enjoyed going to the wrestling matches at the Ector County Coliseum, watching baseball and old western movies.
He also spent time working on different classic cars. He owned a variety of cars, including a brown early 50’s Mercury and a used 1940’s V8 Ford which resembled the one in the film Bonnie and Clyde. His favorite car, however, was a 1951 canary yellow Chevy 2-door convertible. He would go on to trade and buy various other Chevy cars and trucks in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
He loved and cared for his family deeply and was always willing to help others. He spent many years caring for and nursing his ailing wife until she died in 2019. Afterwards, he spent his last few years surrounded by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his son Roberto Herrera Jr. and his wife Selina of Midland; his daughter Belinda Lopez and her husband Homer of Midland; as well as his grandchildren Adriana, Erica, Sierra, Christopher, William, and Matthew; his four great grandchildren Angel, Abel, Alex, and Luna; his three brothers and their wives, Israel and Maria Herrera, Carlos and Janice Herrera, Pantaleon Jr. and Cathy Herrera; his sister Ema and her husband Rafael Hernandez; his sister Lupe Herrera; and his many nephews and nieces.
He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years Agripina Herrera; his parents Pantaleon Sr. and Elvira Herrera; his brother Heginio Herrera Sr.; his sister Eva and her husband David Jones; his daughter Elvira Herrera; and his grandson Roberto Herrera III.
There will be a viewing on Mar. 16 from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM with the rosary at 7:00 PM at Lewallen-Garcia-Pipkin Funeral Home. Another viewing will be on Mar. 17 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. A mass will take place in his honor on Mar. 17 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and Shrine at 2:00 PM. Interment will follow at Serenity Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Pallbearers are his grandsons Christopher and William Lopez, his great-grandson Angel Lopez, his nephews Allen Herrera and Michael Jones, and his great-nephews Andrew Tone, Gerardo Salazar, and Noah Guebara. Honorary pallbearers are his nephews Mark Herrera, Peter Herrera, Richard Hernandez, Pantaleon (Poncho) Herrera III, and his great-grandsons Abel Lopez and Alex Lopez.