Pedro Rocha

Born in 1939 in Indé, Durango, Mexico. Pedro came to the United States at the age of 16, attended Thomas Jefferson High School and graduated as Salutatorian in 1960. He started college at Texas Western College (now UTEP) with a scholarship and acquired his US citizenship in 1961. Soon after, due to lack of funds and his father’s illness, he enlisted in the Air Force as a radar operator from 1961‐1965 and was honorably discharged. Pedro returned to school to finish his Bachelors (1967) in History then his Masters (1969) in Spanish with minors in French, German, and Education at UTEP. During this time, he met the love of his life of the last 50 years, and taught Mathematics and Science to 7th and 8th graders in the Ysleta I.S.D. in El Paso. He married in December 1969, started a family and continued his pursuit of education at the University of Texas in Austin where he acquired his PhD in Educational Administration in 1981. Pedro has since been inducted into the Knights of Columbus, received awards for supporting educational endeavors, traveled the world, spent his career sharing his passion for education with everyone, and most of all – spent time with his family. He is preceded in death by two brothers, a sister, and his parents, and is survived by five siblings, his wife, son, and two daughters, as well as three grandchildren with one on the way. Visitation 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM with a Vigil/Rosary at 7:00 PM, Monday, January 21, 2019 at Sunset Funeral Homes‐East, 750 N. Carolina. Funeral Mass 11:30 AM, Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at Little Flower Catholic Church, 171 Polo Inn. Committal Service will follow at 1:00 PM at Fort bliss National Cemetery with Military Honors. In lieu of flowers or gifts, you can also make a donation to your favorite charity in Pedro’s honor, or to one of these organizations: Breakthrough Central Texas http://breakthroughctx.org) or UTEP (https://givingto.utep.edu/givenow).