Thomas Armando Huereca

On December 5, 2025, Thomas Armando Huereca, a devoted husband, father and grandfather passed away at the age of 87 in Houston, Texas. He was the eldest of the two children born to Elvira Huereca Martinez on August 12, 1938 in Torreón, Coahuila, México.

Although Thomas was born in Torreón, Coahuila, he was raised in a small city called Ciudad Lerdo in the northeastern Mexican state of Durango until the age of 6. His family moved to the Mexican border city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas where he grew up, attended St. Joseph Academy Catholic School in Brownsville, Texas and walked across the border every day for school. As a young adult, he was employed by a bank in Matamoros as an account manager, and oversaw every transaction by the bank. He was very proud of that job.

After he became a United States resident in the early 1960s, he was drafted into the United States Army as a sharpshooter. Thomas was a proud soldier of the United States Army and he loved sharing those stories and photos with his children and grandchildren. The United States Army asked him to re-enlist, but he respectfully declined as his fiancée Consuelo Castilleja awaited his return so they could marry and begin their lives together. Thomas and Consuelo met and courted in Matamoros, Mexico and were engaged before he went into the military. They were married on December 23, 1965 in Consuelo's hometown of Dr. Arroyo, Nuevo León, Mexico. They then moved to Houston, Texas and their four children arrived soon after. Thomas prided himself as a hard-working individual and held two long-standing jobs for most of his life. He started as a machinist before being promoted to foreman at Cameron Iron Works in Houston, Texas, and he was employed there for 18 years until the 1980s. He was then recruited by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a Correctional Officer before being promoted to Sergeant. He supervised the operations of the kitchen and safety of the prison staff and served in that role for 25 years until his retirement at the age of 62.

Thomas was a strong, disciplined and loving father with rules at home. His family cherished the fact that he was a strong man, and he imparted his discipline and strength to his children.

As a father, he loved to take his four children and wife on long road trips to Mexico, go camping, and fishing. He loved all sports going back to his youth at St. Joseph's Catholic School where he won multiple trophies in basketball, football, and track and field. His love for sports continued throughout his life and he took his children to watch Houston Astros baseball games and Dallas Cowboys football games. Thomas was also a great dancer and loved music tremendously. As a young man he played the guitar and sang when he lived in Matamoros. He was a huge fan of American music, Spanish-language music, Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, 1950's rock 'n' roll, country, Tejano music and cumbias.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Consuelo Castilleja Huereca who passed away on August 6, 2019. He was also recently preceded in death by his only sibling, Maria Magdalena Huereca de Fernandez who passed away on June 15, 2025.

Those left to cherish his memories are his children, Armando (Helen) Huereca, Mario Luis Huereca, Patricia Huereca (Ray) Sneed, and Consuelo Huereca (Alistar D. Ross), grandchildren, Armando Adrian Huereca, Mario Luis Huereca, Jr., Miabella Nepochatov, Alexander Donald Ross, David Armando Ross, Aliya Jezel Sneed, Devin Ray Sneed, and Emery Alyssa (Rene) Gonzalez, and great-grandchildren, Jeremiah Noel Huereca, Alayna Adelle Huereca, Aria Avery Huereca, and Aliana Gonzalez.

Thomas is gone but never forgotten, leaving his loving memories in our hearts forever. May his memory be a blessing, and may we carry forth his legacy of love and compassion in all that we do until we meet again.

The family will receive family and friends at the Cypress-Fairbanks Funeral Home, 9926 Jones Road Houston, TX 77065, Tuesday, December 16 at 10:30 am. Thomas will be interred at Houston National Cemetery.