GIL R. HERNANDEZ
Gil Rogelio Hernandez Sr., 78, passed away Monday, September 19, 2022, at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg.
Gil Sr. was a life-long PROUD entrepreneur starting with bicycle newspaper routes in Edinburg, TX at 9 years old. At the age of 27, Gil Sr. founded MagnoliaAuto Parts in Houston TX, along with his wife, Loida they were the PROUD owners and operators of 4 locations in the Houston area for 20 years. In 1994, Gil Sr. founded Woodway construction in his beloved Edinburg TX, in which he developed his self-owned 5 acres of land and subdivided into custom homes. During his construction days, Gil Sr. also owned and operated University Auto Sales, in which he would travel to Houston TX to purchase vehicles for his car lot and then travel back to Rio Grande Valley most of the time in the same day.
In 2007, Gil Sr. took on a new venture, he purchased La Paloma Taqueria y Tortilleria in Edinburg TX. With the help of the original staff, Gil Sr. was able to successfully operate the business so much so that he opened up La Paloma Taqueria y Tortilleria #2 off of Monte Christo Rd in Edinburg TX. During the early La Paloma days, Gil Sr. decided to pursue one of his dreams of opening a Tejano Night Club in Edinburg TX. Club Rio opened January 2010, in which the likes of Ricky Guzman & the All Stars, Elida Reyna, and Jesse Turner y Grupo Siggno along with other well-known groups performed throughout the Club Rio days.
The “master of multitasking” Gil Sr. then decided to use his self-owned real estate properties and convert over to retail spaces for businesses to operate. First starting with Town Square Plaza followed by GRH Plaza both locations being off University Dr. in the heart of his beloved Edinburg TX. Gil Sr. spirit to grind and his tremendous work ethic is an example of the AMERICAN DREAM.
Gil Sr. loved classic oldies songs of the 1950’s, along with classic Tejano music in which he was an avid dancer. Gil Sr. was an avid sports fan with his favorite teams being the Houston Oilers, Dallas Cowboys, and the Houston Astros.
Gil Sr. love for his family was top priority, he was very proud to be a provider and a mentor for those who looked up to him.
Gil Sr. wanted to personally thank the employees of La Paloma Taqueria y Tortilleria, everyone’s hard work at the restaurants made him very proud as an owner. He would look forward to being at the restaurant on a daily basis to converse with the employees and customers who would come in to dine.
He is preceded in death by his former wife, Loida Hernandez; parents, Isidro Hernandez and Juana Benavidez Hernandez, Maria Ozuna, Felipa Hernandez; five siblings, Delia Ozuna, Pedro (Monica) Ozuna, Jose B. Hernandez, Santos Hernandez; and mother-inlaw, Emma Trevino.
Mr.Hernandezissurvivedby his spouse, Karla Gamez; four children, Rachel Ann (Rodolfo Garcia) Hernandez, Gregory Gil (Patricia) Hernandez, Gil Rogelio (Paula) Hernandez Jr., Jacob Isaiah Hernandez; three step-children, Jonathan, Berenice, Destiny Aguilar; four grandchildren, Sophia, Patrick, Mia, Lucia Hernandez; and eight siblings, Petra, Gloria, Diana, Norma, Rosalva, Jaime, Benancio Jr., and Genaro.
Visitation took place from 5 to 8 p.m. with a 6 p.m. rosary Monday, September 26, 2022, at Memorial Funeral Home, 208 E. Canton in Edinburg. Funeral service took place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, September 27, 2022, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Edinburg. Interment followed at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Edinburg.
Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Edinburg.