Louis C. Benavides

Louis C. Benavides, Sr. passed away on July 31, 2020 in Corpus Christi, TX at the age of 71.  He was born on June 23, 1949 in O’Donnell, TX to Ramon and Celia Castillo Benavides.

Louis spent much of his childhood moving between Texas and Michigan helping support his family as an agricultural labor worker.  During that time, he took jobs, such as, a shoe shine boy at a barber shop and a waiter at Duncan Dining Hall at Texas A&M.  He attended school in Bryan, TX (Bowie School); Caro, MI; and Akron, MI and excelled at math and science.

In 1967 Louis began working as an assembly worker of auto parts for the Eaton Corporation in Vassar, MI. He worked there for 13 years.  He then took a job at Saginaw ISD before moving to Bryan, TX in 1984 where he worked at Tom Light Chevrolet.  In 1985, he moved to Orange Grove, TX and bought an acre of land where he personally constructed a home for his family.  In 1988, he moved to Caro, MI and worked at an independent auto body shop.  In 1991, he moved back to Orange Grove, TX where he stayed for the remainder of his life.  He worked at Creveling Dodge as an auto body & paint technician until 2006 when he began working for Orange Grove ISD as a bus driver.  He retired from OGISD in 2018.

Louis had numerous skills and hobbies.  He loved the outdoors and shared that love with his family by taking them on camping trips throughout the years and teaching his children how to fish.  He was also a member of the Los Chavos softball team and played most of his life. He encouraged his sons to play as well, helping them learn the game and coaching them through little league.  Another of his passions was music. He could sing, as well as, play several instruments, including the guitar, drums, keyboard, and accordion.  He would often play with his siblings at family gatherings and with local groups in his free time.  In his later years, he became an avid fisherman and participated in several kayak fishing tournaments.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife of 41 years, Rosalinda Benavides; brother, Pete (Angelita) Benavides; and sister, Juanita Benavides.

He is survived by his daughter, Julie (Ramiro Jr.) Martinez of Orange Grove, TX; two sons, Louis (Kenneth Brice, Jr.) Benavides, Jr. and Antonio (Victoria Gutierrez) Benavides both of San Antonio, TX; granddaughters, Ashley & Malorie Martinez; grandson, Ramiro Martinez III; siblings, Maria Alvarado of San Antonio, TX, Marcos (Lilly) Benavides of Saginaw, MI, Rudy (Gean) Benavides of Bryan, TX, Gus (Esperanza) Benavides of Bryan, TX, Joe (Ernestine) Benavides of Bryan, TX, Carlos (Maryann) Benavides of Saginaw, MI, Frankie (†Ida) Benavides of Bryan, TX, Raymond Benavides of Portland, OR, Sally Benavides of Bryan, TX, Roy Benavides of Ft Wayne, IN, Martha (Michael) Reyes of St Charles, MI, Henry (Patricia) Benavides of Omaha, NE; and his special partner for the last 3 years, Maria Lugo of Corpus Christi, TX.

Family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, August 7, 2020, at Holmgreen Mortuary 2061 E. Main St., Alice, Texas, with Holy Rosary to be recited at 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church. Christian Burial will follow at St John of the Cross Cemetery in Orange Grove, TX.

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