John Fallon sent me the following email this morning. Rest in peace. Sad to lose yet another...

By a coincidence the 36th Engineers were having their annual reunion n Lebanon PA when Lupe died. We had talked about him and knew that he would have been there if it was a t all possible. He was a great soldier and a great friend and may he rest in peace in the hands of the Lord.

He was provided with this by the family:

Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, in San Antonio, Texas, Manuel Reynaldo Velez, aka Lupe Velez passed away from liver cancer. He is survived by his wife A. Marie Schwarz Velez of 58 years and his 6 children, Christa Gordon, Reynaldo, Luise, Jose, Annamarie and Victoria. Dad died at home within two weeks of being diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer. He was surrounded by his wife, son and grandson, his granddaughter just having left his side to return to Oregon.

Dad was buried on Sept. 25, 2006, with full military honors at Holy Cross Cemetery, near his son-in-law William Shea. He had a mass of Christian resurrection at St. Helene’s. You can contact his widow Marie at her home in San Antonio. She asks that you notify the rest of the men of the 36th.