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Sunday, September 5, 2010 | Serving Del Rio and Val Verde County: Since 1929
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Remembering, mourning Oscar Sauceda Jr.
Published May 30, 2007
It was an evening of tears, of laughs and of song as friends and family gathered Tuesday to remember the life of U.S. Army Pvt. Oscar Sauceda Jr.
Sauceda, 21, was killed by small arms fire May 22 in Baghdad when his infantry unit came under fire. According to his family, Sauceda had been in the Army about 18 months and had been in Baghdad since Feb. 23.
Sauceda’s body returned to Del Rio Monday afternoon in a small private ceremony at Laughlin Air Force Base. Tuesday, a public viewing and Rosary were held in his honor at the Del Rio Civic Center.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held today at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 510 Wernett St. Sauceda was an active member of the church beginning in his youth when he was an altar server at the age of nine and continued on to the youth ministry as a lector, usher and Eucharistic Minister.
Sauceda was interred at Sunset Memorial Oaks Cemetery, located off U.S. Highway 90 East, today.
Hundreds of people from all across the state and nation visited the civic center Tuesday to pay their last respects to young man many remembered for his smile, his commitment and his unwavering love of God, family and country.
With all of the lights dimmed in the civic center save for a handful that illuminated the flag-draped casket bearing the remains of Sauceda, the somber mood eventually gave way to applause, laughs and song as speakers urged those in attendance to remember Sauceda for what he had done in his life.
U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez offered his condolences to Sauceda’s family.
Val Verde County Court-at-Law Judge Sergio Gonzalez, who is also Sauceda’s cousin, spoke on behalf of the family and thanked the community for its support.
Robert Morales, a longtime friend of Sauceda’s, spoke through tears about growing up with “J.R.”, as Sauceda was known, beginning with their days in the Amistad Pee Wee Football League and on through high school as members of the Del Rio High School Rams varsity football team.
He spoke of how the two attended the youth ministry at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and how Sauceda showed him that there was nothing wrong with having a strong belief in God.
Morales ended his time at the microphone by asking the audience to stand and give Sauceda a round of applause for everything he had done in his life. A thunderous roar of applause that echoed off the civic center’s walls met that request.
When he was finished, Morales stepped down from the stage, walked to Sauceda’s casket and wept as he laid his head and hands on the flag draped across it. After a few seconds, several members of Sauceda’s family, including his mother and stepfather Ricky Hernandez, stepped forward to comfort the young man and help him away from the casket.
Former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Pastor Father Robert Peña oversaw the recitation of the Rosary.
Peña, who now serves in Eagle Pass, was the pastor at the church during Sauceda’s time as an altar server and in the youth ministry. He tried to fight back tears as he spoke of Sauceda’s service to the church and how he, too, had lost friends in the military during his time serving in World War II.
The final person to speak was former Del Rio High School football coach Bo Camacho.
Camacho, who is now the defensive coordinator at Highlands High School, served as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator for Del Rio from 2001 to 2006.
Camacho called Sauceda a “great model brother and a great son” to the Rams football program.
He spoke of how he wanted Sauceda to be aggressive during his time on the field, but his natural kindness made it difficult for Sauceda to be mean.
He also spoke of how Sauceda would always be an example of the kind of person who would shine in his mind.
“He had a tremendous work ethic and showed great pride and a great love of family, friend and country. He was a great son of Del Rio and was a strong soldier of God and of the U.S. Army. I thank God for blessing is with a young man such as him,” Camacho said.
Sauceda, a 2004 graduate of Del Rio High School, was an infantryman assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.
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