Gilberto De Leon Jr.

Gilberto De Leon Jr.

Gilberto De Leon Jr., 85, of Uvalde died on Aug. 23, 2020, at Uvalde Memorial Hospital.

Visitation will begin today at noon at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary with a prayer service at 6 p.m.

A funeral service will be held on Monday at 10 a.m. at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary with interment following at Hillcrest Cemetery.

De Leon was born on May 19, 1935, in Uvalde to Rosaura (Benitez) and Gilberto De Leon.

He attended school in Uvalde and graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.

He served in the United States Army and was stationed in Alaska as a corporal. After being discharged, he returned to Uvalde where he served as a police officer for the city of Uvalde. After serving for 12 years he was appointed as chief of police. De Leon was the first Hispanic police officer and first Hispanic chief of police for the city of Uvalde. He was appointed by then-Governor Dolph Briscoe as a pardon and parole commissioner in Huntsville from 1973-1977.

After serving for four years, De Leon again returned to Uvalde with his family. He bought Richardson Plumbing and was a plumber for many years.

He was a member of the Templo Cristiano Assembly of God Church in Uvalde.

De Leon was a resident at Amistad Nursing Home and attended church services every Wednesday.

He is survived by his son, Gilberto De Leon III of Uvalde; three daughters, Rosalinda De Leon, Lavonne De Leon and husband, Rafael Bazan, and Angelica Maldonado and husband, Julio Cesar Maldonado, all of Uvalde; three sisters, Delia Hernandez and Raquel Garza and husband, Josue, all of Uvalde, and Viola E. De Leon of San Antonio; two brothers, Daniel De Leon and wife, Ruth, of Tustin, California, and Eleazar De Leon and wife, Mercy, of Riverside, California; 10 grandchildren, Kimberly A. De Hoyos, Angeli R. Gomez, Sebastian R. Rodriguez, Destinee D. Delrio, Alec Jeremy De Leon, Mireya A. Maldonado, Zachary De Leon, Julio C. Maldonado Jr., Andrea T. De Leon Mora and husband, Enrique Mora, and Daniel A. De Leon and wife, Carisela Natal; seven great-grandchildren, Tristan F. Garcia, Kyndra L. Dehoyos, Klyeen A. Sanchez, Vladimir J. Bazan, Aurelius A. Martinez, Mya M. De Leon, and Laila S. De Leon; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by both parents; brother, Orlando De Leon; two sisters, Rebecca Reyes and Bernice Bazan; and son, Orlando De Leon.

Pallbearers will be Gilberto De Leon III, Sebastian Rei Rodriguez, Alec Jeremy De Leon, Julio Cesar Maldonado Jr., Antonio Hernandez III and Ronald Benjamin Garza.

Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary, www.rekfunerals.com