Marfa man celebrates 100th birthday

MARFA – Cirildo Carrasco Sanchez of Marfa turns 100 years old today. He was born in Valentine on July 5, 1912.

At a very young age, Cirildo would go by the church and shine shoes to make some spending money.  He later worked for the CCC camps building the railroad maintenance complex in Valentine called “la Casa Redonda.” This was the Far West Texas maintenance facility for the railroad cars and engines.  He also worked in Fort Davis with the CCC.

The Southern Pacific Railroad employed him for 33 years and when he retired he was given a plaque, which not only congratulated him for this three decades of work but also 33 accident-free years.

He retired as a maintenance engineer and supervisor. He never missed a day of work because he was hurt.  A representative of the Railroad Board from Albuquerque will visit Cirildo in El Paso and present him with a certificate honoring him on his 100^th birthday.

He was very active at the Bloys Campmeeting volunteering at some of the cook sheds.

He was an outstanding baseball player and played shortstop, second base and third base for the Valentine Pirates.

His favorite story about his baseball days was when Sanderson invited the Pirates to play two games. They gave them team a $24 guarantee and 24 meals.

They scrambled and managed to make it to Sanderson and when they got there, they pooled their money to buy some Cokes and ice, and among the 12 players managed to poll $3.

The Valentine Pirates won both games and were chased out of town, he recalled with a laugh. It was a grand time

He remained an avid baseball fan and backed the Marfa Indians for many years.

Cirildo and Maria owned and operated Jimmy’s Café for about eight years.

His parents were Ysabel Sanchez and Apolonia Carrasco. Ysabel later married Eulalia, Cirildo’s stepmother.

Cirildo had five brothers and three sisters, now deceased. Tomas Sanchez lived in Houston, Ruben Sanchez, Alamogordo, New Mexico; Cruz Sanchez, Valentine; and Victor Sanchez of Andrews.

His Sisters were Elvira Morton of Valentine and Elodea Jimenez of Andrews. Aduvina died at a young age.

Cirildo and his wife, Esperanza had five children: Henry lives in Houston, Corina lives in El Paso, Nora lives in Austin, Yolanda resides in Fort Stockton, and Avelia lives in California San Fernando Valley.

Cirildo married Maria Estrada in 1964 and moved to Marfa. They had no children of their own but adopted three children, the late Hector Estrada Sanchez, married to Ester Flores Sanchez, and they had two children, Hector Sanchez Jr. and Cristina Sanchez Guevara, both of Marfa.

Guadalupe Estrada married Benny Salcido and they have two children, John of Austin and Mary of Alexandria, Virginia. Martin Estrada married Brenda Garcia and had a daughter, Andrea.

Cirildo had one stepson, Jose Estrada of Fort Stockton.  Martin later married Artemisia and had three children, Moises, Jessica and Gabriela. Martin now resides in Odessa.  Cirildo has more than 40 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A Mass in Cirildo’s honor is at 5pm Saturday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, followed by a dance at the USO building at 8pm.

Cirildo’s great-grandson, Vicente Guevara, son of Christina Sanchez and Raymond Guevara, will also celebrate his birthday 15^th birthday Saturday.