Jose Ruvalcaba

José Manuel Ruvalcaba

José Manuel Ruvalcaba, 68, of Baytown, passed away peacefully at his home, with his loving family at his side, on March 18, 2018.  He was born on May 3, 1949, in Monterrey, Mexico to Jose Ruvalcaba and Lucinda Ramírez Ruvalcaba.  Although born in Monterrey, Mr. Ruvalcaba was raised in Saltillo, Mexico.  He moved to Houston, Texas, from Mexico in 1975.  Married to Juana Ruvalcaba on December 31, 1972, he later was baptized in 1985 and became a devoted member of Jehova’s Witness El Puente Congregation.

As a single and young person, Mr. Ruvalcaba was adventurous and free spirited.  He enjoyed cliff diving in Mexico, boxing, being a photographer and traveling throughout Mexico and taking odd jobs to explore.  Later, Mr. Ruvalcaba was self-taught in woodworking and building furniture for family and friends, building a tiny home (man-cave), working as an electrician, plumber, welder and in construction.

Some of his favorite activities included theater arts and country, classical and Spanish romantic music, with Julio Iglesia, Jose Jose, Mana, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, George Strait and Vicente Fernandez as some of his favorite musical artists.  Mr. Ruvalcaba also enjoyed sports, including soccer, Houston Astros baseball and swimming.

Mr. Ruvalcaba was always the life of the party and his family feels they all learned their sense of humor from him.  His granddaughter, Kayla, said “His stories were always captivating. It was if my grandfather was this adventurous knight who had experienced all the wonders life had to offer, from cliff diving to making a good life for his children here in the U.S. Which in retrospect it makes sense that his favorite book was Don Quixote De La Mancha, and oh, how I see so much of my grandfather within the pages of that beautiful book.  I can say with complete certainty that my grandfather was a dreamer and the very essence of what life well lived should be…his youth was adventurous…his actions were chivalrous…and his memory will forever endure in the hearts of his grandchildren and children.”

Mr. Ruvalcaba is preceded in death by his parents, Jose Ruvalcaba and Lucinda Ramírez Ruvalcaba.  He is survived by ten siblings and twelve half siblings; his loving wife, San Juana Ramos Ruvalcaba; daughter, Azucena Ruvalcaba and grandchildren, Christopher Daniel Ruvalcaba and Kayla BreeAnna Ruvalcaba; sons, José Manuel Ruvalcaba, Jr. and wife, Karina, Abraham Ruvalcaba and grandchild, Abraham Ruvalcaba, Jr. and great grandchild, Delilah Marie Ruvalcaba, and grandchild, Shaila Natalie Ruvalcaba, and son, Mark Anthony Ruvalcaba.

The family will receive friends from 5 – 8 p.m. on Friday, March 23, 2018, at Crespo & Jirrels Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, 2018, in the Chapel of Crespo & Jirrels, with Horacio Garcia as officiant. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Honoring the family as pallbearers will be Juan Carlos Pineda, Claudio Aragon, Eric Ocampo, Juan Manuel Garza and Fredy Andrade and Juan Epinoza.

Arrangements are entrusted to Crespo & Jirrels Funeral and Cremation Services, 6123 Garth Road, Baytown 77521, 281.839.0700.

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