KILLEEN — Services for Raul Vera Jr., 71, of Killeen, will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Killeen.
Burial will follow in Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen.
He died Saturday, Dec. 1, in Killeen.
He was born in Weslaco to Raul Vera Sr. and Esther Hernandez-Vera. He spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He later joined the U.S. Army. He went to airborne school and was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Polk, La. Overseas assignments included tours in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, Japan, Hawaii and with the 8th Army in Korea. He was an instructor for four years at Defense Race Relations Institute now the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. He retired from the Army in 1981 and began his federal career as an equal employment specialist in Fort Drum, N.Y., in 1985. He transferred to Fort Hood in 1987. He was a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, was interim president of the Central Texas Chapter of the Mexican American Democrats, past president of Pan American Club, member of the VFW, American Legion and past chapter president of Kiwanis International. He was also a former disc jockey known as “Mr. V” for KRMY a Tejano radio music station in Killeen and a member of the Texas Talent Musicians Association. He received numerous awards during his military career. His civilian awards include the Commander’s Award and the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service. He also received a 30-year Federal Service pin.
Survivors are his wife of 42 years, Eva Vera, one son, Raul M. Vera III of Killeen; two daughters, Gina E. Young of Killeen, Michelle S. Nieto of Fort Bragg, N.C.; six brothers, Roberto Vera and Armando Vera both of Weslaco, Enrique Vera of Sacramento, Calif., Ruben Vera and Alfredo Vera both of Merced, Calif., Antonio Ceballos of Donna; two sisters, Beatriz Vera of Weslaco, Esther Pena of Merced, Calif.; and 12 granchildren.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. today at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen.
