Felipe H Acosta

Felipe H. Acosta 86, passed away on Monday May 15, 2023, he was born in El Paso, TX on November 21, 1936.

He started work before he was old enough to attend school in Juarez, by asking a shoe shine man to teach him how to make a shoe shine box and how to shine shoes. At that moment he started financially helping his single mother and baby brother Julio.

Felipe enlisted in the Army during the Korean War at the age of 16; although underage he got his mother Antonia Hernandez's consent.

 Once out of the Army he joined the Army reserves and started taking correspondence courses. During this time, he met our mother Griselda the love of his life marrying her in 1967. Often saying of our mother "she was the one", they divorced after nearly 30 years of marriage, he never remarried.

In his 40's Felipe volunteered for a project located on top of a 500-foot tower, men half his age were afraid one so afraid froze at the top and had to be rescued. To prepare for this project Felipe got a family membership at the YMCA and started to work out and again excelled and set records.

Felipe was not formally educated; he attended elementary school in Juarez, learning English by listening to his favorite singer Nat King Cole. Felipe was self-educated and proudly earned his GED after retiring from WSMR. Felipe loved playing chess, crypto quotes, word jumbles, and was often seen at McDonalds playing anyone up for a match. He loved crossword puzzles and mathematics doing both daily for enjoyment, eventually teaching himself Algebra, Pre-Calculus and Geometry, eventually mastering all three. Felipe worked at White Sand Missile Range  for 50 years, known onsite as Mission Essential on the most sensitive, challenging and complex projects there. A technician so brilliant that WSMR started to video record him while working in an attempt to figure out why he could get projects to work when no one else could.

 Our father loved knowledge as children he would tell us "knowledge is power, never stop learning and learn everything you can." When he was introduced to computers at White Sands Missile Range he would come home with computer cards and give them to us kids. He explained what they were and how they worked, and what these computer punch cards did "computers are the future" he would say. Rolando earned bachelors in Electrical and Computer Engineering and became a programmer. Griselda earned a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering. His two youngest children Felipe Jr and Adriana both joined the military.

Our father retired from White Sands Missile Range after fifty years, frequently awarded for his technical skills, devotion, reliability, loyalty to his job and country. That is how Felipe H. Acosta lived his entire life, learning how to overcome challenges, never giving up, always learning something new and never forgetting those less fortunate. Our father gave money to every charity, nature, animal, veterans, human rights, hunger fighting, homeless, the list is truly endless. Even after the passing of his baby brother our father would still travel to Juarez on a monthly basis to take food and necessary items to people less fortunate. No kind gesture went unnoticed or unrewarded with our father. Our father didn't give Christmas gifts, he wasn't a hugger, our father was gestures and acts.

Felipe was so incredibly humble that as we have started to look through his house we have found boxes and binders full of awards, accommodations from the Army, White Sands Missile Range and ARL that we knew nothing about. Felipe was a quiet man of very few words, who lived a simple humble life, if you bought him a gift he would say thanks and never use it, but if you brought him a bag of aluminum cans he would get the biggest smile. Felipe had a childlike personality, taking us repeatedly to see Star Wars, and Western Playland. You did something that impressed him he would say “great", and would get a smile on his face. You did something he didn't like there was no yelling he would just turn and say "that's no good." If you borrowed anything from Felipe he never asked you for it, if you failed to return it he would hold no grudge. He was no fool, but figured he didn't need much and they probably needed it more. If you asked our father to borrow his pen, when you would go to give it back to him would tell you "keep it." If he saw something he knew would help you in any way or cheer you up he got it.

Our father’s love, devotion, loyalty and generosity knew no bounds for this country, family, friends and his two dogs Sally and Molly. This is who Felipe H. Acosta was, his sudden death has left a huge void in the lives of many and he will be missed. His life is an example for others to follow, to care for Mother Nature and your fellow man for we are all in it together. This is what shaped him and this is who he was, we will forever miss him. Felipe is preceded in death by his mother Antonia Hernandez, Brothers; Juan C. Acosta, and Julio H. Acosta. Felipe is survived by his Ex-wife Griselda, four children Rolando, Griselda, Felipe Jr, Adriana and his grandchildren Zane Acosta, Quentin and Alex Caldwell.

Visitation: 5:00-8:00pm Tuesday May 30, 2023, Sunset Funeral Home-Northeast 4631 Hondo Pass Dr.

Vigil/Rosary: 6:00 pm Tuesday, May 30, 2023, Sunset Funeral Home-Northeast 4631 Hondo Pass Dr.

Funeral/Mass: 9:00 am Wednesday, May 31, 2023, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 2709 Alabama St. Committal Service will follow at 10:30 am Wednesday, May 31, 2023, Ft. Bliss National Cemetery 5200 Fred Wilson Ave.

Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Homes Northeast.  Please visit his online memorial at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net.