Farewell to Sergio “Checo” Ramirez, Eagle Pass High School Class of 1978

By: Ricardo E. Calderon, J.D.
Copyright 2013 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The hardest thing in life is to bid farewell to one’s loved one such as a parent, grandparent, spouse, child, or friend. Native Eagle Passan and Eagle Pass High School Class of 1978 Eagle Sergio “Checo” Ramirez, age 54, passed away on Monday, December 16, 2013, during the early morning at his home from an apparent heart attack.

The news of the demise of Sergio “Checo” Ramirez stunned and saddened the community of Eagle Pass, Texas as he was deeply loved by his mother, wife, four children, one brother, hundreds of children whom he had the privilege of coaching in the Eagle Pass American Little League and the City of Eagle Pass Parks and Recreation Department sports leagues, and highly regarded by his fellow co-workers at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Ray Darr Elementary Cafeteria, his fellow Eagle Pass High School Class of 1978 classmates, including this writer, and citizens from Eagle Pass and the State of Texas.

As a childhood friend, classmate, and teammate of Sergio “Checo” Ramirez, affectionately called “Goosey” due to his huge free-spirited personality and compassionate heart, I cherish many fond memories of our friendship, camaraderie, and brotherhood growing up from humble beginnings to our competing for the Eagle Pass Eagles football and track and field teams from seventh grade at Eagle Pass Junior High to twelfth grade at Eagle Pass High School and giving back to the youth of this community through youth sports such as Little League Baseball. He as the consummate Little League Baseball Manager taking the Eagle Pass American Little League Majors (11-12 year olds) in the summer of 2010 to the Little League Baseball District 35 Championship, Sectional Championship, Texas State Championship-West, the Regional Championship and falling in the championship game to Pearland, Texas 3-2 just one game shy of reaching the prestigious Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, while I served as pro-bono Legal Counsel for the Texas Little League Baseball District 35 under District Administrator Gerald “Jerry” McCrary of Del Rio, Texas.

Sergio “Checo” Ramirez is survived by his mother, Alicia C. Ramirez, his wife Ramona Ramirez, four sons including Sergio G. Ramirez, Jr., Luis Angel Ramirez, Jonathan Ramirez, and Roberto Javier Ramirez, one brother Pedro “Pete” Ramirez, President of the Eagle Pass American Little League Baseball, and hundreds of players, parents, co-workers, and friends. He worked 14 years with the Eagle Pass Independent School District as the Food Service Manager at Ray Darr Elementary, where he also coached many of the Ray Darr Elementary Mavericks youth teams in the City of Eagle Pass Parks and Recreation Department sports leagues.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, December 17, 2013, at 3 P.M. at Yeager-Barrera Mortuary’s Chapel followed by a farewell tour of the Eagle Pass American Little League Baseball Field and internment at the Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Cemetery
in Eagle Pass, Texas under the direction of Yeager-Barrera Mortuary.

On behalf of your fellow Eagle Pass High School Eagles Class of 1978 classmates we like to bid farewell to you by singing to you one last time the “Eagle War Cry,” which raised goose bumps on our arms while playing at historic Eagle Field and inspired us to fight and filled our hearts with Eagle Pride no matter what the odds were against us in the heat of battle:

EAGLE WAR CRY

High in the Blue the Eagles Soar, the Eagle Soar
Look Out Below…
See How They Dive with Mighty Roar, with Mighty Roar
Down Upon the Foe…
Fly Down the Field Tonight, Eagles are We…
Let’s Get in there and Fight, On to Victory…
Scream, Eagles Show Your Might
Hear Our War Cry…
Let’s Win this Game Tonight for E.P. High!