Gilbert Phillip “Butch” Velasquez
Our beloved brother Gilbert Phillip “Butch” Velasquez has left us with heavy hearts. He was a light in every room he entered and always brought a bundle of laughs. He unexpectedly left his earthly body on Friday, July 21st in Katy, Texas. Butch’s enormous love for his daughters Olivia Danielle and Hailey Renee was bountiful and could be seen by anyone who knew him.
Butch was the second child born to Gilbert and Carmen Velasquez on April 11, 1957. Graduating from Lockhart High in 1975, and then receiving an associates degree from Texas State Technical Institute, he set forth to lay a path for a life of God, family and friends. He enjoyed many sports, but his favorites were the Cowboys, Longhorns, Astros and his hometown Lockhart Lions. He also enjoyed a good round of golf, fishing, gardening and cooking.
He lived a well-traveled life and loved to visit family and friends. During his time with Kewaunee, he moved to North Carolina for 3 years and missed his home state of Texas. He gained a love of NASCAR and a new tattoo during his time there. After a brief stay in New Braunfels, he moved to Katy where he would become part of the community. He loved taking family trips to the beach and making new memories with his girls. Trips to visit family in Pittsburg and New England were two of his favorite destinations. He never passed up a chance to see his favorite teams play and loved that he was able to stream his Lockhart Lion games. He was an active parishioner at Epiphany of The Lord Catholic Church in Katy, Texas, where he mentored the altar servers and was a Eucharistic minister. He had a special way with words and would always come up with the best one liners and nicknames.
He was proceeded in death by his father, Gilbert C. Velasquez and brother, Robert Rene Velasquez. He is survived by his children Hailey Bowlin and Olivia Velasquez; mother Carmen Cavazos Velasquez; siblings Vivian (Dennis) Placke, Michael (Carolina) Velasquez, Gracie (Llyod) Beck, Edward (Gloria) Velasquez, and Jennifer (Matthew) Kane; 9 nieces and nephews, 12 great nieces and nephews, 3 Godchildren and numerous close family and friends.
The family will be accepting visitors at St. Mary’s of the Visitation Catholic Church, 205 W Pecan St, Lockhart, TX on Friday August 4, 2023 at 5pm. A recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 7pm. Funeral mass will be held on Saturday August 5, 2023 at St. Mary’s.
Pallbearers are Robert Dustin Beck, Kyle Placke, Matthew Rene Velasquez, David Lee Ybarra, Adrian Carrizales, Bobby Cavazos, Thomas Anthony Vasquez, Jay-Alan Baltierra along with honorary pallbearers the Toros softball team and nieces Mallory Debold, Monica Velasquez, Melanie Ruiz, Macy Beck, Megan Placke, and Marissa Velasquez
In lieu of flowers, a donation to your local St. Vincent de Paul Society in Butch’s name would be appreciated by the family.
Services under the direction of Samuel J. DeLeon and Son / DeLeon Funeral Home.
