Roll Call Tribute

Romeo Chapa
November 13, 1929 ~ April 25, 2020 (age 90)

Romeo Chapa , 90 passed peacefully from natural causes on April 25, 2020, at home with his beloved wife, Berta Farias Chapa, by his side. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and "die hard" Texas Aggie.

Romeo was born on November 13, 1929, in San Benito, Texas. While attending San Benito High School, he met the love of his life, Berta. After High School, Romeo and Berta attended separate colleges but later returned to San Benito and were married on June 2, 1954. They spent the next 66 years together raising their two identical twin daughters and enjoying their grandchildren and great grandchildren.

College for Romeo was interrupted by the Korean War, after which, he returned to College Station, Texas, where he graduated from Texas A&M University.

After graduating from Texas A&M, he returned to the Valley, settling in Brownsville, and opened his insurance business in Brownsville in 1959. Romeo had several business ventures over the years and went to his office every workday until 2017, when, at 87, he reluctantly sold his business and retired.

During his more than 60-year business career, Romeo not only earned a number of honors for his insurance business acumen, but was also a board member for Pan American Bank, and a part-owner and director of Coors Distributing Co. in McAllen, Texas. Romeo was active in the Brownsville Community. He served as president of Alhambra; he was a member on the Advisory board of Villa Maria and Incarnate Word school; he was vice chairman and a school board member of the Brownsville Independent School District; and he served as President of the West Brownsville Lions Club.

After family, Texas A&M was the center of his life. Romeo often boasted about his time at Texas A&M and his love for Aggie football. Romeo never missed an opportunity to flash the "gig 'em" Aggie sign and he proudly wore his Aggie ring that his grandchildren gave him to replace the first one he lost. Romeo was a true gentleman and, most of all, he loved the time he spent with the whole family. At family gatherings, Romeo always had fresh jokes and never missed an opportunity to voice his favorite saying: "getting old isn't for sissies". There was no doubt that Romeo and Berta loved all their special family events.

He will be dearly missed, as Romeo was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 66 years, Berta; his daughters, Becky Jordan and husband Shelby, and Tita Longoria and husband Shelby; his six grandchildren Rebeca Ortiz Barlow and husband Peter, Antonio Ortiz and wife Jacqueline, Eduardo "Wayo" Ortiz, Adrienne Longoria Brown and husband Tim, Sarah Longoria, and Shelby Longoria Jr.; and his four (now almost five) great grandchildren, Thomas and Chloe Barlow, Alexandra Brown and Vivienne Ortiz.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Daniel Chapa Sr. and Petra Gonzales from San Benito; his brothers, Luciano and Daniel; and his sisters, Bertha and Blanca Trevino. He is survived by his brother, Ruben (Noemi) from Cedar Park, Texas; and sister, Consuelo Champion, from Chihuahua, Chihuahua.

Due to the current circumstances, a celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

The family wants to thank Superior Hospice who provided comfort and care during his final days. As an expression of sympathy and in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children's Cancer Clinic, 101 W. Expressway 83, McAllen, Texas 78503, (956) 661-9840, www.vanniecook.org and the Guadalupe Regional Middle School, 1214 E. Lincoln St., Brownsville, Texas 78521, www.guadalupeprep.org.

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