Crispin Quintanilla Jr., 83, went to be with the Lord on Friday, November 19, 2021, at his residence. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Edinburg.
Mr. Quintanilla was born in Edinburg on February 19, 1938 to the late Crispin Quintanilla Sr. and Maria Ozuna Quintanilla.
He attended Edinburg public school and graduated from Edinburg High School in 1957. Thereafter he enlisted and served proudly in the United States Air Force as an enlisted man. He served a one-year tour of duty in South Korea and was honorably discharged in 1961 and earned the Good Conduct Medal. After his discharge he attended PAU in Edinburg.
Crispin served two terms as an elected Edinburg City Commissioner where he was instrumental in obtaining some changes in the city charter. He pushed and was able to get the citizens of Edinburg to change the city election date from Tuesday to Saturday, also change the method of electing city commissioners instead of at large it was changed to places. Crispin was also instrumental in getting a retirement plan for Edinburg city employees.
He is preceded in death by his parents and also the following brothers and sisters: two half-brothers, Ernesto Ozuna and Jose V. Ozuna from Caldwell, Idaho; sisters Antonia Riley, Cecilia Garcia, Fidelfa Velasquez, all of Edinburg; and brothers, Fidel Quintanilla, Alfredo Quintanilla, both of Edinburg, Jose F. Quintanilla of Bastrop, and Dionicio Quintanilla of California.
Mr. Quintanilla is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Ofelia Garcia Quintanilla; sons, Crispin III (Laura Hinojosa), Luis (Zulema), Albert (Maricela), Xavier, Tony Omar (Josie); a daughter, Selina (Michael) Barrera; grandchildren Diego, Mia, Estevan, Emilio, Israel, Monica, Jessica, Angelika, Adriana, Joseph Anthony, Michael, Victoria, and Vanessa; great-grandchildren, Camila and Dante; a sister, Maria H. Quintanilla Guerra; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He served in various civic organizations but two that he was proud to serve was with the Edinburg Jaycees and the Edinburg Boys Club when the club was independent from the city. With the boys club he served as vice-chairman and was able to work with the Urban Renewal Board and obtained a permanent location for the boys club, which at present is a city fire station on East University in Edinburg. With the Jaycees he was part of the members who obtained the Jaycees Park in east Edinburg which later was taken over and maintained by the city.
Mr. Quintanilla was a retired businessman and in his younger days he was employed in the public relations field. He worked for Gateway Printing Service while attending high school and three years after he retired from the military.
Crispin also worked for the Edinburg Daily Review, The Mission Times, The Weslaco News, and the Rio Grande Herald in the advertising department. He also worked for Lack's Associates of the Valley for three years as advertising director.
He served and was also employed by ACCEDC and the Hidalgo County Manpower Programs.
In 1971 he started his own business, beginning with Cris' Gift Shop for ten years then Rex Café on East University until 1984 at which time he retired and attended to his children's educational needs.
He was a sportsman and his greatest enjoyment was hunting which he did in the company of his sons. For an extended number of years, the family had a deer lease in Hebbronville, which during the hunting season was where he was to be found. In his countless visits to Hebbronville, he managed to make a lot of friends with the local citizens and ranch owners. He was one hunter who always got his limits.
Mr. Quintanilla also liked to travel and that he did to Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, New York, Mexico City, Monterrey, and various other cities throughout Mexico plus his favorite, Las Vegas.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., with a 6 p.m. rosary Sunday, November 21, 2021, at Memorial Funeral Home, 208 East Canton in Edinburg. Funeral service will take place at 9 a.m. Monday, November 22, 2021, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Edinburg. Interment will follow at Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission. Military honors will be conducted by VFW Post 7473 of Elsa.
Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Edinburg.
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