Dr. Jose L. Villalobos Sr.

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – Dr. Jose L. Villalobos Sr., devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, died peacefully at his residence surrounded by his loving family at the young age of eighty-four on Sunday, the 16th of June 2024. He was a urologist who provided exceptional care to the Brownsville and Weslaco communities for thirty-three years.

He was born in Monterrey, Mexico, on May 9, 1940, and was lovingly raised by his maternal Aunt Maria Cantu Garza, who ensured he received a higher education. From the age of seven, he knew he wanted to be a doctor. 

Upon finishing his undergraduate degree from the Universidad de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, he was accepted into its medical school. It was around this time he met Sylvia Corres, the woman who would become his wife, at a dance. They dated for seven years while he attended medical school. Upon receiving his medical degree in 1967, he promptly left to pursue his dream of completing his medical training in the United States. 

He returned to marry the love of his life on March 4, 1968, and after a quick honeymoon to Cancun, Mexico, departed to Chicago, Illinois, where he went on to complete an internship and residency program in Urology at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. 

In late 1969, he was drafted to Vietnam and served as a surgeon in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged with the rank of major in October 1971.

Soon thereafter, they moved to Houston, Texas, after he was accepted into a residency program at The University of Texas in Houston in General Surgery, which he completed in 1974. Within two months of welcoming a daughter, Sylvia, they moved to Brownsville, Texas, in the fall of the same year. Their family grew quickly to include a son, Jose, and a daughter, Roxanne.

Dr. Villalobos went into practice with the late Dr. Lionel Rangel, and they served the Brownsville and Weslaco communities for many years until the latter’s retirement. Ever the visionary and entrepreneur, Dr. Villalobos along with six partners helped form the clinic that is now known as Central Diagnostic Clinic. 

He was known for his tenacity and determination to achieve the highest level of training in his field so he could provide the best care for his patients. Dr. Villalobos was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and fellow of the International College of Surgeons, and board certified in Urology. 

His generosity knew no bounds. In fact, he was known to not charge patients his fee to do their surgeries if they couldn’t afford it and needed it. At charity functions, he would bid on silent and live auctions to drive up the price and would often end up with a variety of items he would later gift others.

He believed in serving his community by using his gift in leadership and served as chief of staff, chief of surgery and chairman of the board of trustees for Valley Regional Medical Center multiple years. In addition, he served as a volunteer for the Brownsville Community Health Clinic and often gave lectures to medical school students in Matamoros, Mexico.

He suffered a stroke brought on by surgery in 2003 to remove a benign meningioma, determined to be caused by his exposure to agent orange in Vietnam, which cut his professional life short. Despite the immense challenges he faced, he was able to return to work on a limited basis six months later and continued to passionately work until his retirement in May 2007. 

But his hardworking nature made it nearly impossible for him to slow down. Ever the voracious reader and connoisseur of finances, he frequently stopped by to eat lunch at Valley Baptist Medical Center and share stock tips with his former colleagues, whom he missed dearly. He was lovingly called Professor by those who would sit and listen to him. 

In his retirement, he was able to enjoy becoming a grandfather to eight grandchildren and often traveled to attend dance recitals, acting performances, cross country meets, and soccer games. Ever proud of his Mexican culture, he traveled to visit family in Mexico any chance he got and cheered on Mexico in the World Cup of soccer.

Preceding Dr. Villalobos in death were his parents, Jose and Ana Villalobos; his maternal aunt, Maria Cantu Garza; his brother, Martin Villalobos; and his sisters, Josephina and Juana Villalobos.

Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of fifty-six years, Sylvia; his children, daughter, Sylvia Worsham (Donnie), son, Dr. Jose L. Villalobos Jr. (Dr. Yahaira Espada), and daughter, Dr. Roxanne Seawell (Stuart); his siblings, sister, Ana Maria Villalobos, brothers, Felipe and Jaime Villalobos, and sister, Guadalupe Villalobos; his eight grandchildren, Andres Hernandez, Vivian Worsham, Angelina, Sofia and Mateo Villalobos, and Savannah, Austin and Alexander Seawell; and many loving members of his extended family.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, the 19th of June 2024 between the hours of twelve noon and nine o'clock at night, with military honors to be rendered at six o’clock in the evening, with a recitation of the holy rosary and funeral service immediately following, within the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home. All services conclude Wednesday night.

Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Jose L. Villalobos Jr., Donnie Worsham, Stuart Kaufman, and Andres Hernandez.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Maria Guadalupe Zuniga, Olga Avila, Antonio Velez, and Susana Galvan for the excellent care and attention they provided for Dr. Villalobos.

Memories of Dr. Villalobos may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com. 

Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.