Juan Morolez passed away at home with his family at his side at 77 years of age on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 in Onalaska Texas.
He was born September 3rd, 1948, in Pharr Texas to Salome C. and Maria Elvira (Cuevas) Morolez. Juan spent his early years immersed in his Mexican culture alongside his sister Martha attending school in Mexico until the 5th grade. Upon the family’s return to Texas, his father taught him farming and by age 13 he was riding combines through the fields of Seminole Texas. Later, he began what would be a 30-year hospital career starting as a medical assistant at Brownfield General Hospital.
To help pay for his education, Juan enlisted with the U.S. Army in November of 1968. He was stationed at Fort Bliss, where he was trained as a helicopter mechanic. He was later deployed to Vietnam with the 59th Assault Helicopter Company, and the small town farm boy saw the world. Years later, he would share small glimpses of his time in Vietnam with his boys - shenanigans with Army friends, his Golden Glove boxing, R&R in Australia, and most fascinating to his oldest, the unforgettable nights of trying to sleep in their knapsacks while bending the stingers of “giant” mosquitoes that poked at them through the canvas just hoping to not be carried off before morning.
After serving his country, Juan returned to Brownfield late summer of 1971 where soon after, enticed by a ride to Levelland with his sister and her friends just “for something to do”, led him to enroll at South Plains College. It was there, in the halls of the Student Union Building –“the SUB”– that he meet Elsa Estella Reyna - whom he fondly described as "an angel in white pants and a purple top" After 3 months of Juan failing to notice Estella, she took matters into her own hands, playfully “bopping” him over the head with a book, finally “knocking some sense into him”. Through God’s providence, Estella became the love of his life and on March 17th, 1972, despite what
many believed were slim odds, they were wed, beginning what would be 53 beautiful years together filled with three sons: Juan Eduardo (Eddie) Morolez, Alejandro (Alex) Morolez and his wife Shannon, with children Natalie Faith, Alana Grace, and Elijah Thomas, and Rojelio Javier (Javi) Morolez and his wife Toni with children Dominic John and Sloan Elizabeth as well as countless friends and church family far and wide.
In 1973, the couple moved to Odessa Texas with their 3 month old son Eddie so Juan could earn his degree from The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. They left Levelland with all they owned in their car and no place to live upon arriving. Juan, being the provider he was convinced Mrs. Gail Henson, who wanted “NO CHILDREN” in her home, to rent them their small back house that first evening. Over time, Mr. L.B. & Mrs. Gail Henson grew to love the boys so much that they eventually adopted the names Grandma and Grandpa Henson. In classic "Grandma" fashion, Mrs. Henson would “sneak” the boys bananas despite Juan’s stern warning that “banana seeds could give them appendicitis!”
Juan graduated from UTPB in 1976 and worked at Medical Center Hospital until the first signs of Parkinson's disease began to show. He had such a captivating personality that he could capture the attention of a crowd instantly whether through his crazy and funny antics, his love of the guitar and singing or deep intellectual conversations all while managing to never break his undercover “007” identity.
Later in life, Juan was baptized and became a devout Christian, serving as a deacon at Eisenhower church of Christ in Odessa, Texas and Onalaska church of Christ in Onalaska, Texas. A man who loved the LORD deeply, Juan spent his retirement traveling with Estella, “scooping” fish out of Lake Livingston, enjoying a serving of ice cream…or two, tinkering with honey-do projects, or writing for the religious newspaper "El Pueblo De DIOS". Through his written ministry and his active reaching out many souls were touched, while GOD gave the harvest.
Today we celebrate his life with joy, knowing that even though life here on earth was not perfect, he has gone to meet his Master. No more pain, no more fearful nights, no doubts as to why things happened the way they did, no confusion and no tears. Just the reassurance GOD promised us when HE told us to trust in HIM.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation of Juan’s behalf to one of his favorite programs or the generous organization that help him, and others like him, so much in his fight with Parkinson’s:
In Search Of The Lords Way
P.O. Box 371
Edmond, Ok 7083
405-48-3242
Semper Fi & Americas Fund
https://thefund.org/ |
Juan Morolez
