OBIT – Benigno Cerda Jr.

LA JOYA – Benigno Cerda Jr., 81, passed away on Thursday, March 1, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center.

Mr. Cerda was born in Mission on March 13, 1936, to Benigno Sr. and Rebecca Cerda. He was a third generation farmer and rancher for Cerda Farms Inc.

Survivors include his wife, Maria Minerva Cerda; children, Javier Cerda, Sylvia Oxford, Veronica Reyes, Willie Cerda, Juan Cerda, Reynaldo Cerda, Maria Brashear, Nellie Betancourt, Rebecca LeBlanc, Ricardo Cerda, Michael Cerda, Jose Cerda and David Cerda; siblings, Francisco Cerda, Raquel Garcia and Lucia Longoria; and 33 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Jesus Cerda; and siblings, Esperanza Pena, Josefina Rivera and Juaquin Cerda.

A funeral mass was held on March 5 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Peñitas. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen.

Serving as pallbearers were David Cerda, Richard Flores, Randy Cerda, Kenny Cerda, Ethan Cerda, Dylan Cerda, Kevin Brashear Jr. and John Wayne Cerda.