Ramon "Ray" Reyes Longoria

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – Ramon “Ray” Reyes Longoria passed away peacefully on Thursday, the 20th of March 2025 holding the hand of his beloved wife Josefina "Yolanda" Cano Longoria. Ramon lived to be 95, born on The Epiphany, January 6, 1930 (Three Kings Day and hence the middle name - Reyes).

Ramon was a proud American who served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed in Panama. He had many careers that he enjoyed and would share countless memorable experiences of those times with anyone who asked. These included a delivery truck driver for Morris Lumber Co., maintenance crew for Pan American Airways, lab and field tech for Pan American Laboratories and subsequently U.S.D.A. and ultimately retired as a Senior Officer at U.S. Customs Service in Brownsville, Texas. He spent most of his career, and collected most of his most interesting stories, at U.S. Customs before retiring and then unretiring to work for the U.S. Marshals Service.

He enjoyed league bowling, his Tuesday night poker games with some of Brownsville’s most notorious high rollers, trips to casinos and dog/horse racetracks, solving the NYT crossword in record times, impassioned political and life discussions with Border Street neighbors - the Hollons, Dreumonts and Canos - and grilling fajitas for his family. He valued education and ensured all his children attended college.

Ramon was married to Yolanda for 35 years. Previously married for 31 years to Maria “Mary” Cavazos Longoria who passed in 1984. With his wife Mary, Ramon was a proud father of three children, daughter, Sylvia Longoria, son, Raymond Longoria, Jr. and his wife Rosie and daughter, Lisa Ruth and her husband Ray. Ramon was blessed with two grandsons whom he loved dearly, Michael Longoria and his wife Christy and Matthew Longoria. He beamed every time his great-grandchildren, Andrew and Elena Longoria, came to visit him.

Ramon was also blessed with an extended family with Yolanda’s children, son, Ruben O. Cano, Jr. and his wife Yolanda and their children Phillip M. Cano, Stephanie C. Jimenez and her husband Deandric, children Anayeli and Sophiana; Nicole C. Newton and her husband Cash and their child Lyla; daughter, Yolanda C. Garza and her husband Rodolfo and their son Marco A. Garza and his wife Stephanie and their child Alyssa; son, Luis G. Cano and his wife Norma Jean and their son Rolando Robledo, Jr. and his wife Christina and their children Jeremiah and Elijah; daughter, Destiny C. Dorer and her husband Ryan; son, Jordan L. Cano and his wife Donna and their children Jordan James, Lucas, and Emelia; and daughter, Taylor A. Cano.

Affectionately known as "Pop", Ramon will be greatly missed by his family who loved him so much and enjoyed his love of action movies, family time playing cards, his incredible wit and endless hilarious dad jokes.

He was preceded in passing by his mother, Paula Esparza Longoria, his father, Francisco Longoria; and his siblings Maria Luz Gomez, Tomás Gallegos, Hilario Gallegos, Angelita Vásquez, and Alfonso Gallegos. He is survived by siblings Martina Montemayor, Francisco Longoria, Irma Noyola, and Josefa Shuler.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, the 26th of March 2025 between the hours of one o’clock in the afternoon and nine o'clock at night, with the recitation of the holy rosary to begin at seven o'clock Wednesday evening within the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning on Thursday, the 27th of March 2025 at St. Luke catholic Church, 2800 Rockwell Drive, Brownsville. Interment with military honors will then follow, via an escorted procession, at Buena Vista Burial Park, 5 McDavitt Boulevard, Brownsville.

Memories of Ramon may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

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