Tarango, Francisco

Francisco Tarango

Services: Have been held.

Mr. Francisco Tarango, 79, of Portales, died Tuesday, May 4, 2004, at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock.

He was born on Dec. 27, 1924, in Chihuahua, Mexico, to Felicitas and Juan Tarango.

He grew up in Chihuahua where he attended school. He married Maria Rodriguez on Aug. 4, 1953, in Coyame, Chihuahua, Mexico. He worked for many years in ranching for Rancho de Prieto before coming to the U.S. in 1977. He settled in Portales. He worked for a time for Hatch Packing Co. and then for Excel Packing, retiring in 1989. Family members said he was an avid walker, enjoyed visiting his grandchildren, gardening, the outdoors and hunting.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; a daughter, Norma L. Tarango; a brother, Jose Tarango; and two sisters, Angela Loya and Elisa Chavira.

Survivors include four sons, Jose A. Tarango (and wife, Antonia) of Fort Morgan, Colo., and Octavio Tarango (Irma), Rojelio Tarango and Manuel Alfonso Tarango (Sylvia), all of Arlington, Texas; four daughters, Maria Rosario Jimenez (Jose A.) and Elsa Gutierrez (Herman), both of Portales, Rosa Padilla of Friona, Texas, and Myrna Tarango (Donald Allen) of Arlington, Texas; a brother, Cruz Tarango of Chihuahua; two sisters, Isabel Corral (Abel) and Josefina Sierra (Jose), all of Chihuahua; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

The Rev. Tobin Hitt will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Portales Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Jose, Octovio and Alfonso Tarango, Herman and Rodney Gutierrez and Alfredo Jimenez.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.