John F. Welsh Jr.
John F. (Johnny) Welsh Jr., native El Pasoan, Korean War Veteran, West Texas businessmen, and award-winning author, died October 8, 2017. He was 87 years old.
Johnny was born in El Paso on December 18, 1929 to John and Ernestyne Welsh. As a child, he grew up in the family grocery store at 2432 Copper St. He graduated from Houston Elementary School one month after his 12th birthday; graduated from Austin High School where he edited the school newspaper for two years; attended Texas College of Mines for one year where he played on an outstanding Miner golf team; and attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
As a teen-ager, Johnny was one of El Paso’s best golfers. He competed in the Texas State Junior Tournament in San Antonio seven times, once beating famed PGA pro Don January when both lads were 14 years old. At age 16, Johnny was runner-up in the 1946 El Paso City Championship, and was medalist (lowest qualifier) in the 1947 City Championship. He won the prestigious El Paso Country Club Southwestern Invitational Tournament in 1948, defeating Tony Zuloaga in the final match.
After 1½ years at University of Missouri, Johnny co-published The Ascarate Texan, a weekly newspaper serving the El Paso Lower Valley. In 1949 Johnny became a reporter for the El Paso Herald-Post. After serving in the U.S. Army for two years during the Korean War, he returned to the Herald-Post and was assigned as County Courthouse-City Hall beat reporter. He also wrote a weekly sports column about El Paso amateur golf called “Pins and Needles.” Through his regular badgering of school officials in his column, he brought about the establishment of golf as a competitive high school sport in El Paso.
In 1954 Johnny joined the family grocery business which included El Paso’s first supermarket, located in the Van Horne Park Shopping Center on Airport Road. Welsh’s Supermarkets became the leading independent grocery company, popular city-wide for its large variety of specialty foods from around the world. In 1966 Johnny left retailing to pursue wholesaling for independent grocers, serving as advertising manager for United Grocers in Portland, Oregon; then assistant general manager of Associated Grocers of Alabama in Birmingham; and, later, assistant general manager of Affiliated Foods, Inc. in Amarillo. In 1975 Johnny became division president in Nicholasville (Lexington), Kentucky, for Malone & Hyde, Inc., then the nation’s third largest food wholesaler with ten distribution centers in the South and Southeast. Johnny served as president of the Kentucky Wholesale Grocers Association and director of the Kentucky Retail Grocers Association. Later he served as division president for Malone & Hyde distribution centers in Miami, FL., and Beaumont, TX.
J ohnny returned to the retail grocery field in 1983. He and wife, Mary, purchased the Village Supermarket in Alpine, Texas, renaming it Welsh’s Village. As the business grew, John and Mary, partnered with their son Joseph, and built new stores in several West Texas towns including Van Horn. Led by Joseph, the family re-entered the El Paso Market, opened a group of convenience stores, created a Real Estate firm, and held master distributorships from El Paso to Del Rio, Texas. In 1991 the Small Business Administration (SBA) named Johnny as the Small Business Person of the Year for the El Paso District, a prestigious award. As a businessman, John engineered scores of scholarships for young people in the communities their businesses served.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Dick, and step-son David Howard. Johnny is survived by his wife of 40-plus years, Mary; three sons: Joseph Welsh (Liliana) of Summerlin, Nevada, James (Jem) Welsh of El Paso, and Dr. John F. Welsh III (Wendy) of Kerrville, TX.; a daughter: Jacquelyn Nell Welsh of Las Vegas, NV.; ten grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins.
Johnny was especially proud of his Irish heritage. His grandfather, Michael Francis Welsh, was born in Ireland in 1881, emigrated to the U.S. in 1888, lived in St. Louis and then Hannibal, MO., until 1923 when he became a tuberculosis patient at St. Joseph’s Sanatorium in El Paso where he died in 1924. In 1988, Johnny and Mary tracked down and established a close relationship with family relatives in Ireland. Since then they have traveled to Ireland many times, renting cottages and spending time with their many Irish cousins. In 1996-97 they stayed seven months, establishing themselves as “those Yanks” to their new friends in the family’s hometown of Clonmel in County Tipperary. Earlier in 1991, under Ireland’s foreign births registration statute, Johnny was awarded Irish citizenship, allowing him dual American-Irish citizenship. Mary’s dual citizenship became effective in 1994.
Johnny and Mary’s experiences in reuniting their American and Irish families, which had been separated because of emigration for over 100 years, are narrated in his award-winning memoir Tipperary to Texas: An Irish Family Reunites After Four Generations. A second book, My Life in the Waiting Rooms, was published in 2016, recording his medical ailments when he suffered from cancer, its radiation and chemo treatments leading to facial nerve paralysis.
Following an Irish Wake Thursday night, a memorial service will at held on Friday, October 13 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Clements’s Anglican Church in El Paso conducted by Rev. Ron Thomson. At a later date, an Irish memorial service will be held in Clonmel, County Tipperary, at Old Bridge as is passes over the River Suir in front of the 200-year-old family home, and will conclude nearby at Carey’s Pub. A Holy Mass will be held at St. Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. A Memorial Service was held in honor of John in Chihuahua, Mexico on Tuesday October 10.
Guadalupe “Lupe” S. Anchondo
Surrounded by love Guadalupe “Lupe” S. Anchondo, 53, of Van Horn, passed away on Thursday, October 5 at the Culberson County Hospital in Van Horn.
Visitation for Guadalupe was held on Monday, October 9 at Heritage Funeral Home Chapel. Rosary was recited that evening at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, October 10 with Father Apolinar Samboni serving as Celebrant, burial followed at Van Horn Cemetery.
Guadalupe was born in Pilares, Ojinaga, CHIH, Mexico on January 12, 1964 to Franciso Sanchez, and Manuela Garcia Sanchez. Guadalupe was blessed with two wonderful children during her life. She was a homemaker that so enjoyed taking care of her family, and friends. Guadalupe enjoyed traveling, meeting, and making new friends. She also enjoyed spending time with her beautiful grandchildren. During football season, Guadalupe would be cheering on her beloved “Dallas Cowboys.”
Guadalupe is preceded in death by her parents: Francisco and Manuela Sanchez, two brothers: Juan Sanchez, and Ben Sanchez, as well as one sister Manalice Funtez, and one grandson: Juan Arnold Anchondo.
Those left to cherish and honor “Lupe’s” kind spirit and wonderful memory are: her husband Hector David Carrasco of Van Horn: her son Joseluis Anchondo, Sr., and his wife Ava Lopez of Andrews; her daughter Hilda “Beebe” Anchondo of Gonzales; her brothers: Arturo Sanchez of Van Horn, Oscar Garcia of Houston, Ramon Sanchez, Ervey Garcia both of Andrews. Her sisters: Alicia Gonzales, and Cynthia Jimenez both of Van Horn, and Rosie Jimenez of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Her four grandchildren: Joseluis Anchando, Jr., of Andrews, Xavier Anchondo, Dominik Almaguer, and Hazelynn Anchondo all of Gonzales. Many nieces, and nephews as well as her two friends Terry Busarah, and Yolinda Flores and many other friends that Guadalupe befriended during her life.
Those that severed as pallbearers were: Alvaro Jimenez, Jr., David Jimenez, Alfredo Jimenez, Frankie Jimenez, Alvino Sanchez, Johnny Munoz, Ricard Fuentez, and Raul Graziano.
Funeral services for Guadalupe was entrusted to Heritage Funeral Home of Van Horn, Texas.
Online condolences may be left at: www.vanhornfunerals.com
Guadalupe V. Flores
Beloved mother, grandmother, and friend Guadalupe “Pink Grandma” V. Flores, 91, of Van Horn, entered into eternal rest with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, September 30 in Midland surrounded by her loving family.
Visitation for Guadalupe was held on Tuesday, October 3 at Heritage Funeral Home Chapel. Rosary was prayed that evening at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, October 4 with Father Apolinar Samboni serving as Celebrant, burial followed at Van Horn Cemetery.
Guadalupe was born in Ruidosa, Texas on May 18, 1926 to Manuel Vasquez, and Macedonia Alvarez Vasquez. Guadalupe married Alvaro P. Flores, Sr on September 1, 1944 and they were married for 72 years. They were blessed with 5 loving children. Guadalupe was blessed by her beloved Lord as a child caregiver. She also worked as a child caregiver for several local churches. Guadalupe loved crossword puzzles, playing scrabble, and loved to cook holiday meals for her beloved family.
Guadalupe was a fan of the “Dallas Cowboys”, and loved to listen to George Strait. She enjoyed camping with her husband, as well as praying the Rosary daily and instilling a love of God and Jesus to her family.
Guadalupe is preceded in death by her parents: Manuel Vasquez, and Macedonia A. Vasquez, and her beloved husband Alvaro P. Flores, Sr. Guadalupe is survived by her beloved and cherished family: two sons; Alvaro P. Flores, Jr., and Efrain V. Flores; her three daughters Gloria Segura, Sonya Santiago, and Pamela Flores. As well as many grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Those that severed as pallbearers were: Martian Santiago, Alvaro Flores, III, Efrain Flores, Jr., Harley Rodriguez, Ricky Duke Ramirez, and Jorge Vasquez. Those who served as honorary pallbearers were: Paul Vasquez, Lucas Flores, Raul Vasquez, Richard Vasquez, Ismael Santiago, Oscar Carrillo, Jesus Ornelas, Eric Decker, and Mateo Flores. Serving as honorary Funeral Director was Zavery Tre Molina.
Our “Pink Grandma” will be remembered for her love of God, family, friends, her big heart and love of life.
Funeral services for Guadalupe was entrusted to Heritage Funeral Home of Van Horn, Texas.
Online condolences may be left at: www.vanhornfunerals.com
