Dolores Soza Baeza of Fort Davis died Sunday, September 8, 2013.
Lolo Baeza
Lolo Baeza, as he was most commonly known, had been at the Monte Vista Nursing facility in El Paso since early January when his health started deteriorating and he could no longer live at home. Mr. Baeza was 96 years old.
His funeral Mass was Friday, September 13 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fort Davis with Father Mike Alcuino officiating and with Rick Ruiz singing songs for the Mass. Burial was in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Fort Davis.
Mr. Baeza was born at La Haciendita, just north of Presidio on July 8, 1917. His grandfather, Anastacio Baeza, had received a land grant from the Mexican Governor before Texas was a state. The land was on both sides of the Rio Grande. This land is still owned by Mr. Baeza and his brother Alfredo.
He attended school at the Haciendita farm and in Presidio up to the 3rd or 5th grade. When he was 17 he joined the Civil Conservation Corps, known as the CCC. The year was1935 and hoping to be sent to see the world, he was sent to Big Bend. He worked at Big Bend twice and in May 1937 he was transferred to Fort Davis. The rainy season had caused extreme damage to Indian Lodge, and crews were brought in to fix roofs and plaster walls.
He met Faye Granado in Fort Davis and they married July 2, 1938. Shortly afterward, he was transferred to Balmorhea State Park. He was always very proud with his association with the CCC. He was thought to be one of the last surviving members of the CCC men who built Indian Lodge and the facilities at Davis Mountains State Park.
In 1945 he joined the U.S. Army, fighting in World War II. He finally got to see the world. His tour of duty took him to Scotland, England, France and Germany.
Lolo Baeza
After the war he and Mrs. Baeza settled in Fort Davis where he learned carpentry under Cecil Boling and R.D. McCready and spent the next 20 years building and painting houses in the entire tri-county area. He also worked at Mc Donald Observatory and Ft. Davis National Historic Site.
In 1965, he opened Baeza’s Grocery, a very small store in Fort Davis. It was the first store to sell beer in Fort Davis in more than 30 years. In 1972, his son Leroy joined him in the business, and they and their families worked side by side for almost 40 years. They built Baeza’s Thriftway Stores in Fort Davis, Presidio and Alpine.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Faye Baeza, who passed away September 12, 1996, 17 years ago; his parents, Jesus Baeza and Gregoria Soza Baeza; also four brothers and one sister.
He is survived by his son, Leroy Baeza and his wife Rose of Fort Davis; his daughters, Yolanda Uranga and her husband Armando Uranga of El Paso and Sandra Reinberg and her husband Jerry Reinberg of Fort Davis; also six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Lolo is resting in peace. He is dancing in heaven free from this world’s woes. How fortunate we have been to have shared our lives with this wonderful man. He was loved by so many and he loved so many because he had a generous heart. We will miss him, but will never forget him; He will live in our hearts forever. May the angels lead him straight to heaven, our true home.