Francisco "Pancho"

Salinas Rangel

Francisco Salinas Rangel "Pancho", surrounded by his loved ones, passed away at this home in Santa Rosa, Texas, under Kindred Hospice care, at the age of 92 years and 10 months on March 16, 2018 due to natural causes.

He is survived by his wife, Herlinda Canales Rangel, who was wedded to him for 64 years; four sons: René C. Rangel (Maria Lily) of Santa Rosa, Rubén C. Rangel (Beatríz) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Roël C. Rangel (Patricia) of Keller, Texas and Raúl C. Rangel (Evelyn) of Arlington, Texas; one daughter Raquel C. Rangel who died in 1971 shortly after childbirth; grandchildren: René Francisco Rangel (Vanessa) of Santa Rosa, Daniella Batoon (Hanzell) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Marco Rangel of McAllen, Dante Rangel of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Margo Rangel of Keller, Texas, Hugo Rangel (Sarah) of Panama City Beach, Florida, Natalie Rangel of Mission, Cecilia Peña of Austin, and Nicholas de la Fuente (Redding, California); five step-grandchildren Jesus de la Fuente (Lynette) of Houston, Gilberto de la Fuente, Jr. (Anandi) of Redding, California, Shelly Vasquez of Little Elm, Texas, Sarah Mashburn of San Antonio, and Carey Tennison also of San Antonio; great grandchildren: Renata Analicia  of Santa Rosa, Jon Carter de la Fuente and Evander de la Fuente of Houston, and Roman Diego Rangel of Panama City Beach, Florida; two brothers: Heriberto Salinas Chapa (Odilia) of Visalia, California and Hector Salinas Chapa (+Rebecca) of Pharr, Texas; and many cousins, nephews and nieces.

Francisco, our Dad, was son of Francisco Flores Rangel and Maria Dolores Cavazos Salinas; paternal grandson of Hermengildo Sanchez Rangel and Bernada Flores, maternal grandfather Julian Salinas; his paternal great grandparents were Jesus Rangel and Librada Sanchez.

Childhood:          Francisco was born on May 17, 1925 at La Hacienda San Pedro in the municipality of General Teran, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.  His father died one day before our father was born, his father was a Mexican Revolutionary (paymaster, Lt. Colonel) in Pancho Villa's army; his mother, Maria Dolores and an older sister Margarita were his family until his mother remarried with Guadalupe Chapa, who had his children Lupe, Jr., Arturo and Fela; in this union, grandmother gave birth to three sons: Heriberto (1930), Rubén (1935) and Hector (1937); dad lived a life of yours, mine and ours; his mother died when Pancho was 13 and he began to survive on his own as an orphan.  With strength and resolve, he managed to overcome many hardships and obstacles: hunger, alienation, no home or shelter, and hard work in the fields all day without getting paid.

U.S. arrival:         In search for a better life and opportunity, Francisco took on his greatest endeavor coming to America in 1943 at the age of 18 as a poor young man to provide manual labor to the wartime economy.  Pancho traveled to La Feria, Texas and met his uncle Abel Lozano and aunt Maria Rangel Lozano, uncle Jesus Rangel and aunt Panfila Rangel.  Working with his uncle Abel, who had a fruit stand in Harlingen; pumping gas at Joe Magna's Humble gas station on main street in La Feria; nailing and assembling small wooden crates in the Interstate Packing shed, packing vegetables in the Pacific Fruit and Vegetable packing shed, both sheds in La Feria; volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army to fight in World War II, but was rejected due to not speaking English well; found a job at 60 cents per hour with the Valley Cotton Compress in Harlingen in 1948, hauling cotton bales with a hand truck (dolly); and then in 1949 as a uniformed 7-UP deliveryman catching the eye and attention of our mother.

Francisco returned to Mexico to live in Reynosa in 1950.  There he got a job with Sitio Plaza as a taxi driver, the owner, Don Emilio, was from General Teran.  One of Dad's fares was a famed pistolero Dimas de Leon.  In order, to return to Texas, he got help from Ramiro Rodriguez of La Feria to prepare legal documentation and work permit to reside and work in the United States.

Back to Texas:   With the proper documentation, Pancho returned to La Feria to continue to work in the packing sheds.  Attending a dance at the American Legion Hall in La Feria, he met our mother there.  Going to local dances held at Plaza Valencia in Santa Rosa, he continued to court Herlinda, our mom.

Marriage:            Francisco married Mom in Groesbeck, Texas in October 1953 at the age of 28.  Both settled as husband and wife in La Feria, residing with his uncle Jesus and aunt Panfila; renting from Martin Martinez; moved to a country house at the corner of west Toribio Rodriguez and south Louisiana roads with Tomas Caruso as a neighbor in 1957.

Santa Rosa resident:       In 1958 Pancho, his wife and two sons René and Rubén began to live in the William Foster home (father of Edith Friend) located at present Dollar General Store. William is known as the first Anglo resident of Santa Rosa.  In 1959, Francisco and Herlinda bought three city lots (brush land) located at the corner of Retamosa St. and FM 506.  Dad bought the Foster house and had it moved to the lots.  Dad will reside there for the next 59 years until his death; he will see the births there of Roël, Raúl, and Raquel.

Migrant and laborer:      Always working to provide for his family, Francisco toiled in the Pacific Fruit packing shed as a forklift operator in La Feria; Harry and Kenneth Shimmousi Packing shed in Los Indios; spent summers in Harlingen Cotton Compress as a forklift operator; and Marvin Schwartz Packing shed in Mercedes.  Once school was out, Pancho would take his family migrating to California (1964-65, Dinuba, Corcoran and Tracy); Hereford, Texas summers of 1967-71; briefly in Colorado (1969); Wautoma, Wisconsin (1973, where he became a member of La Clinica de los Campesinos, Inc.); Arkansas (1974-76); Cody, Wyoming (1977-79).  Francisco would always bring his sons back to Santa Rosa right before school would start for the new school year.  He always stressed the high importance of a formal education even though he lacked one himself.

Family outings:  Francisco would take his family to visit relatives in La Feria, Lyford, Weslaco, La Sara, Indian Lake and Edcouch; spent Easters at Delta Lake Park; viewed movies in the cinemas of La Feria and Harlingen; excursions to Brownsville Porter Zoo and South Padre Island; and family picnics.

Francisco with his family stayed at home and survived the terrible Hurricane Beulah (1967) and most recently endured Hurricane Dolly (2008).

Church involvement:      Francisco, being a very religious person, began to serve in St. Mary's Catholic Church as an usher, collector of the weekly tithes, helped in fall and spring festivals (he and Herlinda initiated the Aguas Frescas booth); a member of the Comunidad de Base Fe y Esperanza, a prayer group of Catholics; participated in the Virgin de Guadalupe processions.

Education:           In Mexico, as a child, he attended a primary school in Hacienda San Pedro, General Teran, Nuevo Leon; enrolled in 1966 to take night classes in the LBJ's Adult Education Program in Santa Rosa High School; took literacy classes as a retiree in Harlingen.

Character:           Dad was a provider and a good man, a Mr. Fix-It at home (repairs), carpenter, raising chickens and pigs to help the family budget; helping mom with the canning of tomatoes, vegetables, and spicy salsa; always being there when he was needed.

Recreational activities:   He enjoyed playing Paco (a 7 deck card game), poker, dice and pool with his friends after a hard day's work.  He did not smoke or drink.  His favorite song was José Alfredo Jimenez's song "El Rey"; developed many friendships with his coworkers, neighbors and church members.

Citizenship:         Once retired, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1986 at the ceremony held at the Iwo Jima Monument next to the Marine Military Academy, Harlingen, and then Pancho began proudly to exercise his right to vote as an American citizen in local, state, and national elections.

As a retiree he served as a volunteer for five years with the Cameron/Willacy Community Projects that Antonia Rodriguez supervised.

Fatherly experiences:    Francisco "Pancho" saw all four sons attend Lamar University at Beaumont, Texas and go to their graduations; see his sons complete post-graduate educations; see his sons establish their successful careers in American society; saw his grandchildren be successful in their academic and job endeavors; experienced the birth of his first great grandchild: Renata Analicia in 2012.

Mexican folklore:             In our youth, Dad would be a storyteller, and one folklore that caught our attention was the stories of "Juan Oso".  Rubén later made a discovery in 1978 in the Yale University library encountering "Juan Oso" in a book as a Mexican children's fairytale.

Legacy: His four sons, grandchildren, and great- granddaughter will carry on Francisco's work ethic, fellowship with the common man, foster goodwill and to overcome any obstacle that comes in their way; to better themselves, and to continue educating themselves to honor Francisco's wishes for them to be educated.

Public viewing will be held  at Trinity Funeral Home in Harlingen on Monday, 3pm to 9pm, Tuesday 10am to 9pm with a rosary at 7pm; funeral mass will be held in St. Mary's Catholic Church at Santa Rosa on Wednesday at 10am. His entombment will be at Santo Nombre Cemetery after mass.

Special thanks:  Trinity Home Health (Maria Terrazas his provider), La Esperanza Adult Day Care Center in La Feria, La Hacienda Nursing Home and Kindred Hospice.

Pallbearers:        Sons-René, Rubén, Roël, and Raúl.

Grandsons- René Francisco, Marco, Hugo, Dante, and Hanzell.