FIDENCIO R. BARRERA
Fidencio R. Barrera, Colonel, US Army, Retired, was called to report to the Supreme Commander of the Universe on Sunday, April 23, 2023. He is survived by his twin brother, Florencio, his three daughters: Melva Diana Maurer, Nelda Barrera Aston, and Melinda Dahlil Taylor. Additionally, five grandchildren: Jennifer Elizabeth Annis, Nicole Anne Rayne, David Cavin Petta, Michael Drew Aston, and John Stuart Aston. His eight great-grandchildren are Elizabeth Ruth Walker, Parker Lynn Annis, Felicity Delia Annis, Samantha Pearl Annis, Cody Petta, Ryker Petta, Zoey Petta, and Vivien Rayne.
Fidencio was born a twin on January 12, 1929 in his beloved hometown of Pharr, Texas. He attended Buell Elementary School, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Middle School, and PSJA High School. The Barrera family were migrant workers. He and his 11 siblings picked vegetables in the Rio Grande Valley and then followed the cotton season all the way to Lamesa in West Texas. Since they did not return until late October, the semester was nearly over and the twins were unable to start school until after age ten.
Fidencio was a Boy Scout and a member of the Texas State Guard. He enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on June 5, 1947. After Basic Training at Lackland Air Base in San Antonio and Airways Communications Training in Scott Field, Illinois, he served in Japan and Iwo Jima. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant on June 13, 1950, and thereupon returned to his hometown of Pharr. Fidencio then attended the McAllen Business College under the G.I. Bill and was awarded a diploma in Business Administration.
On August 19, 1951, Fidencio married Elia Saenz from Pharr, and the union produced three daughters.
Barrera joined the Texas National Guard and through his performance and military record as a non-commissioned officer on active duty, he qualified for special schooling under the Ten Series Course to become an officer. Upon completion, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in Artillery in the US Army effective May 24, 1955. He went on to graduate from the Field Artillery Officers Basic Course in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the Advanced Armored Officers Course in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
On October 1, 1961, Barrera was recalled to active duty with the 49th Armored Division for the Berlin Crisis, and he was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. He was assigned Company Commander of an Armored Company. Upon being promoted to Captain a year later, he was asked to volunteer for a special assignment. Having no “cognitive reason” to refuse, Fidencio was assigned to the 8th Special Forces Group Green Berets (Abn) stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. Later, he attended and graduated from The Special Warfare School in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the US Army Infantry School (Airborne) in Fort Benning, Georgia.
While assigned to the 8th Special Forces Group Green Berets (Abn) in Panama, Barrera traveled extensively throughout South America teaching Host Country Military how to conduct Counter Insurgency Operations and how to win the hearts and minds of the people. In order to participate in a mission to Brazil, he attended the US Army Southern Command Defense Language Institute to learn how to speak Portuguese. Fidencio was a Guest Lecturer at the War colleges of Brazil and a Diplomat to Bogotá, Colombia.
Barrera received orders to Vietnam, but it included a delay enroute at the US Army Defense Language Institute at the Presidio in Monterey, California to learn the Vietnamese language. He served his first tour in IV Corps (Delta area) in 1967 and the second tour in II Corps (Central Highlands) in 1970-71.
In 1973, Fidencio was selected for the US Army Degree Completion (Bootstrap) Program to attend Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio. He was conferred the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in History and a minor in Political Science on May 1, 1974.
After serving his country faithfully and honorably, Fidencio was retired from the US Army as a Lieutenant Colonel on November 1, 1977. He and Elia happily settled in their hometown of Pharr once again.
Even before retiring, Colonel Barrera began working with Superintendent Augusto Guerra of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District to establish a JROTC program at the local high school. After much concerted effort, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Course at PSJA was finally approved and established in 1981. Fidencio Barrera became the first Senior Army Instructor and organized the first JROTC Program in the PSJA school district.
Barrera then became interested in municipal politics. With the encouragement and support from family and friends, he was elected Mayor of Pharr in 1982. Re-elected in 1986, he served two four-year terms (1982-1990). The annexation of the Las Milpas Colonias and extension of water, sewer and police services; acquisition of land for the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge; and purchase of the 149.5 acres of land for the Pharr-Las Milpas Industrial Park to complement construction of the bridge are among his many successful projects. During Barrera’s tenure, the City of Pharr was the first in the Rio Grande Valley to receive a $3,500,000 grant and low-interest combination loan to provide water and sewer services to much of the cities’ ‘colonias’ and some extraterritorial jurisdiction poverty areas from the Texas Water Development Board.
Additionally, Fidencio and his wife were invited to the Inauguration of Ronald Reagan in 1984 and then again in 1990. Mayor and Mrs. Barrera were also invited to attend a ceremony at the White House to commemorate the unveiling of the US Postage Stamp in honor of Hispanic Heritage in 1984.
From 1991 to 1996, Barrera served as President and CEO of the Pharr Chamber of Commerce. He was responsible for the inception of the annual and extremely successful Taste of The Valley function, which is still being held after twenty years.
Fidencio continued as Municipal Judge of Pharr from 1993 to 1994. His service to the community was commemorated by an official Proclamation issued on June 8, 2010 declaring that day as “Fidencio Rodriguez Barrera Day.”
Fidencio Barrera was a humble man who loved his hometown, his family, his Catholic roots, and his country. He loved to serve. He commanded troops and led men into war. He shook hands with Presidents and dignitaries. He was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was the consummate soldier. Fidencio Barrera was a true American hero, and he will live in our hearts forever.
Fidencio R. Barrera and his wife, Elia S. Barrera, were laid to rest in a family plot on May 20, 2023 at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston, Texas.