Enrique H. Lopez

Enrique H. Lopez, age 94, of Sweetwater, Texas, passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at Sweetwater Healthcare Center.

A private graveside was held at 2:00 P.M., Monday, March 16, 2026 at Sweetwater Cemetery with a family member officiating. Burial followed. Arrangements were under the direction of Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home.

Enrique was born on July 22, 1931 in Inchamacuaro, Guanajuato, Mexico to Julian and Juana Huijon Lopez. Brought to the U.S. at the age of 13 under the ruse of being educated, but instead was promptly forced into hard labor on a South Texas ranch. He managed to escape at the age of 18 with the ripped clothes on his back and embarked on many adventures and mischief as he wandered all over Mexico and the U.S, by foot, in search of a place to call home. Among his wild adventures, was joining the Mexican Navy, participating in the Bracero Program in the U.S, and living with the Cocopah Indian Tribe in Yuma, Arizona where he learned to speak their language, and worked for the Cidral Mundet company in Mexico City. He finally decided to settle down and become a ranch hand in Knox City and Munday, Texas, then in 1971 moved to Sweetwater, Tx and worked as an oil field roustabout and ultimately a rancher on his ranch, "Rancho Halcón" (Falcon Ranch) north of Sweetwater.

He had unbelievable, superhuman, strength, he was hardworking, extremely tough and disciplined, and lived with only ONE regret- that he never got to be a UFC fighter, because he knew he would have been a champion!

He is survived by his daughters, Alba L. Brown of Abilene, Texas, Tina L. Angelo of Fate, Texas, and Ruth L. Butkovich and husband Jeff of Lewisville, Texas; beloved nephew, Samuel Ramirez and wife Silvia, daughter-in-law, Jennifer Lopez of Katy, Texas; 10 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 sisters, 1 brother, wife Obdulia Heredia Lopez, son, Rick Lopez, and sons-in-law, Art Angelo and Peter Brown.

We would like to give heartfelt thanks to all the nurses and staff at Sweetwater Healthcare/Avir who took such good care of our father and showered him with love every day. Special thanks to his nurse, Pat and CNA, Tina. May God Bless you all for your kindness, compassion, and generosity.

To all those who stole, pilfered, and mistreated our father in his most vulnerable of days, the Lord has said, "Vengeance is mine."