Fidel Lopez

Fidel Lopez 90 of Dumas passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. A Rosary will be recited at half past 6 o'clock in the evening on Friday, February 14, 2025, at Morrison Memorial Chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 o’clock in the morning on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church with Father Luis Lopez, as celebrant. Cremation will follow under the directors of Beeson ~ Morrison Funeral Directors.

 Fidel Lopez was born on April 24,1934 to Julia (Calderon) and Miguel Lopez. Fidel was born in the home, with the aid of mid-wives. As he grew, he learned only Spanish which made it difficult to enter school, but by the time he graduated from high school he could speak only English well and lost almost all of his Spanish. There were many obstacles in life for Fidel and his family, one being that when they were young, his brother, Efren, and he had only one pair of shoes between them, so they had to take turns going to school. Once they got older, they joined the football team. This is where Fidel gained a lifelong love of football and sports in general. Fidel graduated from White Deer High School in May of 1953. After high school he continued to work for the Santa Fe Railway as he had done in high school. Once Immigration came by picking up illegal workers and picked up Fidel. They put him in the back of a van and were about to shut the door when he reached into his shirt pocket and showed them his draft papers and told the officers in English, he was being inducted the next day. Before he went to his induction, his oldest brother told him to never volunteer. At his induction, the officer in charge asked for volunteers to go into the Army and since his brother served in the Army he raised his hand. He was the only one to raise his hand and was induced into the Navy. He served in the Pacific Theater, his home port was San Diego and made port of calls in Australia, Fiji Islands, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and China. The thing about China is that he was told not to cross over from Hong Kong into China because the US government could not help him if he got into trouble, of course he did not get into trouble, and it was an adventure. While in the Navy he attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer 2nd class. Although he served only 22 months and needed to be in for 2 years to rank up, his Captain liked him and allowed him to take the test. His Captain, who liked Fidel, asked him if he wanted to take the Chief Petty Officer test. Fidel responded that he was not able to because his enlistment was for 22 months. His captain responded, "that's not what I asked you", so Fidel took and passed the test. After his time in the Navy, he went back to White Deer and back to work for Santa Fe railway. Sometime later he met Rosa Garcia, in Canadian, Texas at a Catholic church dance. They dated for a while when, depending on which story you go with, Fidel's version goes that he proposed to her in front of the Alva, Ok courthouse, Rosa’s version is that he proposed to her in front of the movie theater in Pampa, Texas. At any rate, she was dismayed that anyone would propose to her because her hands were badly disfigured from being burned and scared as a child. Marry her he did on November 21, 1959, they were married for 64 years. He moved the family to Dumas, Texas in the fall of 1967 when he went to work for Diamond Shamrock, he worked there for 32 years. Fidel's teams were the White Deer Bucks, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Dallas Cowboys but above all were the Dumas Demons and Demonettes. He would travel hours to watch them play and went to thousands of games. He was a member of Sacred Heart and Sts Peter and Paul churches. He was a Deacon, church board member and a Knights of Columbus. He loved his wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren along with the rest of his family. Fidel leaves behind wonderful memories and blessings as well as a legacy that will endear him for years to come. May he rest well in the arms of my mother and the lord for all eternity.

 He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Rosa; son: Efren Lopez; granddaughters: Jackie Lopez and Rebecca Lopez.

Fidel is survived by his children: Michael S. Lopez of Dumas, TX, Elizabeth Ragon and husband James of Amarillo, TX, Cindy Dodich and husband Robert of Amarillo, TX, Fidel A. Lopez and wife Heather of Bountiful, UT; daughter-in-law: Brandi Lopez; grandchildren: Tim, Greg, Josh, Erik, Kasondra, Brandon, Tami, Rashonda, Micaela, Jade, Spencer, Kayden, and Shea; 20 great-grandchildren.