Roel "El Paisano" Vela Sr.

Roel "El Paisano" Vela Sr., was called home on April 28, 2024, after battling a yearlong fight with cancer at the age of 60. He entered eternal rest at his residence surrounded by his loving family at his bedside. He was born on February 18, 1964, in San Diego, Texas to Raul and Zulema Vela.

Roel was a 1983 San Diego High School graduate. Promptly after graduating, he worked as an EMT, Volunteer Firefighter and was also employed by the City of San Diego. He was later elected as a City Councilmen, where he served consecutive terms and is currently still active today.

Many may also recall seeing him while being employed at the Feed Store owned by his close friend Tomas Molina. Before his illness, he worked as a Water Well Driller for Triple C Drilling. He also worked with many companies in the Oil Field industry including Key Energy, Performance Fluids, and STX.

He enjoyed making people laugh with his infectious, sometimes inappropriate sense of humor. His favorite line was, "This ain't Burger King, you can't have it your way". He also enjoyed going camping, his annual Frio River vacations, riding his motorcycle, working with his hands and could fix or build just about anything with no instructions, he was our personal "MacGyver". He also enjoyed cooking various meals and was best known for his "Caldo". But most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and making new friends everywhere he went.

He was a loving and devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother and Uncle that will be dearly missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents Raul Vela Sr. and Zulema R. Vela, maternal grandparents Luis and Belia Rodriguez, paternal grandparents Olegario and Margarita Vela, nephews Miguel Hector Vela and Albert Aguilar III.

He is survived by his wife Diana L. Vela, of San Diego, Texas; daughters, Casandra (Alex) Mata of Corpus Christi, Texas; Lisa (Erik) Engelcke of Houston, Texas; Noella Vela (Sonia Gomez) of Corpus Christi, Texas; Gabby (Tyler) Pastrano of San Diego, Texas; Julia & Einstein Perez (Albert Bear) of Arlington Texas; sons, Roel (Jessica) Vela of Alice, Texas; Baldemar "Tres" Perez of San Diego, Texas; siblings Raul (Toni) Vela Jr. of San Diego, Texas; Zulema Vela(†Ramiro Ramirez) of San Diego, Texas; Oralia "Lala" (Hector) Perez of San Diego, Texas; Jose Angel (Minnie) Vela of Corpus Christi, Texas; Bibi (Joe Dan) Casas of San Diego, Texas; Emerica Aguilar of San Diego, Texas; grandchildren Oscar R. Saenz III, Maddie Sanchez, Jacob De La Garza, Jazel Galvan, Skyler Vela, Jaiden Valerio, Leyah Trevino, Laiden Tyler Pastrano and numerous nieces and nephews. Special friends David Lopez, Jimmy Garcia, Catarino "Cat" Rodriguez, Preston Huey, Rogelio Laso, †Gilbert Broquet, Mike Shields and Marvin Smart.

We would like to give a Special Thanks to Dr. Anu Dham & Medical Team at Texas Oncology in San Antonio, Tx. Also, nurses Roxy, Andrea, Abbie, Crystal, Evelyn, and Kate Collins at Astella Hospice from Corpus Christi, Tx.