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United States Air Force Academy
Association of Graduates

My father was a great guy. I was 21 months old when he died. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1966. If you knew him I would love to hear from you. My name is Cammy and my e-mail is [email protected]. I would be grateful to hear any stories about the time he spent with you.

God bless all who read this,
God bless all who died,
God bless all who they left behind,
and God bless America.

From his daughter,
Camela (Cammy) Gayle Estrada Patterson

Virginia G. Estrada,92,of Brownsville, TX, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 16, 2010, following a brief illness. She was born in Brownsville, TX, October 31, 1917, the only child of Juan and Virginia Garza, who preceded her in death. Having just celebrated her 70th wedding anniversary on October 6, she is survived by the love of her life, Carlos A. Estrada, whom she married in 1940. Virginia was educated in Brownsville at Incarnate Word Academy and Villa Maria High School, where she graduated in 1935. She also attended Brownsville Business College at night in the late thirties; developing her business skills while working full time and completed her studies there about the time she met a dashing young engineer from California, who would become her life-long devoted partner of seventy years.

After starting a family with Carlos and living in Mexico City during World War II while her husband attended to air defense duties in the aviation industry, the couple returned to Brownsville in 1947 and settled here. Mrs. Estrada combined her business skills with a natural artistic talent and for many years operated her own business, "Ceramics by Virginia." She was a renowned artist, skilled in multiple artistic media, but excelled as a ceramics and porcelain art teacher. She exhibited her work at the State Fair of Texas and received blue ribbons for her art. She served as past president of the Business & Professional Women's Club of Brownsville, TX, and held office with the State Federation of Porcelain Art Clubs of Texas. Even in her last days this year, she continued to conduct private classes in her home in china painting, and introduced this art to multiple generations in South Texas and Northern Mexico.

Virginia Estrada was first and foremost the Matriarch of the Estrada family, and in keeping with her religious education was a devout Catholic, a devoted member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Brownsville, TX, and a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Bishop Adolph Marx 1988. She imparted to her children and grandchildren the importance of devotion to their Creator, and a lifestyle of honor, honesty and service to others.

Among the many sacrifices Virginia would endure during her long life, none surpassed the lost of her first two children, Captain Carlos A. Estrada, Jr., a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, who was killed in action in 1970, while serving his country in the Republic of Vietnam, and Virginia Estrada, a daughter who died in infancy.

In addition to her husband, Carlos, she is survived by two sons, Robert A. Estrada and his wife, Catherine, of Fort Worth, TX; Jorge L. Estrada of Brownsville, TX; and a daughter, Laura V. Estrada, and her husband, Paul Hermann, of Dallas, TX. She is also survived by seven granddaughters, Camela Estrada, Christina Estrada, Monica Estrada Browne, and her husband, Daniel; Lily Estrada, Marissa Estrada Spannaus, and her husband, Matthew; Rachel Estrada, Virginia "Gina" Estrada, and a step-grandson, Buck Mosier. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren, Taylor & Grant Patterson.

Visitation for Virginia Estrada will be held from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a Holy Rosary at 7 p.m. today, Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at Darling-Mouser Funeral Home. Family will be greeting friends and relatives at 6 p.m. A Catholic Mass celebrating her life will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church at 3 p.m., Wednesday, October 20, 2010. All services will conclude at the church.

Pallbearers are Daniel Browne, Matt Spannaus, Noe Hinojosa Jr., Salvador Castañeda, Emilio Crixell Jr., and Les Aistrich.

Honorary Pallbearers include Dr. Roberto Robles, Emilio Crixell, Tony Gonzalez, and Jose E. Martinez.

My parents' wedding at the Air Force Academy Chapel.


Cammy Estrada Patterson

Carlos Alberto Estrada
December 21, 1914 - March 1, 2011

Carlos Alberto Estrada, 96, of Brownsville, TX, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. He was born in Mexico, D.F, Mexico, the third and youngest child of The Honorable Fidencio and Otilia Estrada, who preceded him in death, as did his two older siblings, Jorge and Margarita. He was also preceded in death by his spouse of 70 years, Virginia G. Estrada, who died on October 16, 2010, a son, Captain Carlos A. Estrada, Jr., a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, who was killed in action in 1970 while serving his country in the Republic of Vietnam, and a daughter, Virginia Estrada, who died in infancy.
As a child, Carlos Estrada and his siblings were taken by their mother to Los Angeles, California, to escape the turmoil of the Mexican revolution, where they were raised by their widowed mother. He attended Los Angeles public schools and community college before transferring to the University of California at Berkeley, where he received a degree in mechanical engineering in 1937. After graduation, he accepted a job in the aviation industry that brought him to South Texas, where he soon met Virginia Garza, the Brownsville native who would marry Carlos in 1940.
After starting a family with Virginia and living in Mexico City during World War II while he attended to air defense duties in the aviation industry, the couple returned to Brownsville in 1947, at which time he became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America. Mr. Estrada left the airline business in 1952 to avoid a transfer out of the state and joined the Aldridge Washmon Company store in Brownsville, where he rose through the ranks to become general manager of the farm implement and electric appliances company until his retirement.
Carlos Estrada was a devout Catholic and devoted member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Brownsville, TX, who lived an exemplary life that imparted the values of honesty, hard work, and loyalty to his devoted children and grandchildren. He was also active in the USA Council of Serra International, dedicated to fostering vocations to the priesthood.
He is survived by two sons, Robert A. Estrada and his wife, Catherine, of Fort Worth, TX and Jorge L. Estrada of Brownsville, TX; and a daughter, Laura V. Estrada, and her husband, Paul Hermann, of Dallas, TX. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Camela Estrada, Christina Estrada, Monica Estrada Browne, and her husband, Daniel, Lily Estrada, Marissa Estrada Spannaus, and her husband, Matt, Rachel Estrada, Virginia "Gina" Estrada, and Buck Mosier. He is also survived by two great-grand-children, Taylor & Grant Patterson.