Fausto Salvio Zarria

ZARRIA Fausto Salvio Zarria, 88, passed away with his family at his side after succumbing to pancreatic cancer. He was born is Quito, Ecuador on November 19, 1923, played semi-pro soccer, attended the Ecuadorian Military Academy in Quayaquil and was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation. During WWII, Fausto was sent to the U.S. to Corpus Christi NAS to learn to fly American planes and received his U.S. Navy wings upon completion of his training. He met and married his first wife, Ophelia Trevino, a CCISD school teacher in 1946 and returned to Quito where he was assigned as co-pilot for the President of Ecuador. Unhappy with the political climate, Fausto resigned his commission and returned to the U.S. becoming an American citizen and opening his own business, Fausto's Upholstery. He ran it for over 50 years, upholstering furniture for businesses and homes throughout South Texas. Fausto and his first wife were married for 48 years and raised four children. He met and married his second wife, Rosalva Lagunes, in 1998, and together they worked in his upholstery business until a few months prior to his demise. He loved taking his wife and family out to eat at his favorite restaurant, Santa Rosa. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and a former member of the Texas Jazz Society.Fausto is preceded in death by his first wife, Ophelia Zarria; his youngest daughter, Kathleen Zarria Boek and his brother, Edmundo Zarria of Elkhart, Indiana.He is survived by his second wife of 14 years, Rosalva Zarria, his three children: Emil (Christie) Zarria of Pflugerville, Loretta (Richard) McClory of Austin, and Patricia Zarria of Corpus Christi, and three sisters: Alvina (Efrain) Arregui of Indianapolis, Indiana, Nimia Torres and Eumelia Zarria of Quito, Ecuador; he is also survived by two step-daughters: Adinda Lagunes (Rogelio Guerra) of Corpus Christi and Anaise (Dr. Jose) Rodriguez of Cancun, Mexico, 15 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and 20 nephews and nieces. His family, friends, and customers will miss him deeply for his barbecue, homemade soups, his love for John Wayne movies, his sense of humor, political debates and master craftsmanship.Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m., Monay, July 2, 2012 at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Chapel, with a Rosary to be recited at 7:00 p.m., that evening.A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at St. Patrick Catholic Church.Private burial will be held at a later date.