Efrain M. Gallegos Sr., 84, of Presidio, Texas, passed away February 20, 2022, at Houston Methodist Hospital after a valiant battle with COVID.
Viewing for Mr. Gallegos will be on Friday, February 25, 2022, at Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus in Presidio from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., with funeral services to follow. Burial will take place at Desert Hill Cemetery.
Efrain Gallegos was born on February 2, 1937, in the small ranch of Baranco Azul south of the Mexican city of Ojinaga. His parents were Dolores Gallegos and Luciana Morales. When an opportunity arose, Efrain at a young age came to the United States to work as a laborer. This became the prelude for other such passages until his marriage to Lydia Contreras in 1960. After their marriage at the tender age of 21, he took his young bride to Truth or Consequences where he labored as a ranch hand where he worked for a time only returning to Mexico to file for U.S. residency. Seeing better prospects elsewhere, Efrain moved to Odessa, Texas, where he worked for various companies while always having a side venture in order to make additional money. Eventually, Efrain ventured into the cardboard/paper recycling business which was in its infancy and became successful enough that he dedicated his full time to it. In approximately 1988, he moved his operation to Presidio where he worked until his retirement.
Efrain was a man who loved the Lord. He gave his life to Jesus Christ at a young age and continued to serve the Lord throughout his life. Though not a perfect man, his desire was for the work of the Lord. He was a congregant and an ordained minister with the church Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus where he assisted in any capacity that was required. Notable were his pastoral responsibilities, in Kermit, Texas, for several years and in later years in Presidio under the supervision of the Iglesia Apostolica de la Fe en Cristo Jesus. Noteworthy was him being one of the forerunners in establishing an Apostolic church in Presidio and seeing the construction of its building. He had an ease in meeting people which made his desire to evangelize that much easier, and he never shied from a good theological discussion. Although Efrain for the most part occupied himself with work even at home, he did have one distraction which was enjoying watching his sons’ baseball games—taking the younger children to watch the elders’ games and later going to watch the younger ones’ games.
Efrain is survived by Lydia Gallegos; children: Mariber Gallegos, Efrain Gallegos Jr. (Susan), Major Isaac Gallegos (Maria) and Enoch Gallegos; Grandchildren: Zachary Gallegos, Nicole Gallegos, Meaghan Gallegos Taylor (Ryan), April Hamilton (Matthew), Captain Joshua Gallegos (Lidia), Christian Nathanael Gallegos; of special mention: nephew Jorge Contreras and niece Brenda Gallegos; siblings: Aurelio Gallegos, Otilia Villa and Olivia Gallegos; and a host of nephews and nieces, relatives and friends.
Services have been entrusted to Alpine Memorial Funeral. Online condolences may be left at: www.alpinememorialfuneralhome.com