Juan Obregon (Valentin), age 93, passed away on Oct. 26, with his family by his side.

He was born in Cedral, San Luis Potosi, Mexico to Patricio and Julia (Villanueva) Obregon on Feb. 14, 1928, earning him the nickname Valentin, and grew up on their family ranch. As a young man, he came to the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas as a laborer with his brother Vicente. There he met our mother, Maria Josefa Medrano, and they married in Donna Texas in 1947. In the early 1950s, he was told of jobs in northern Ohio, and through a friend was hired at US Gypsum. He also worked for Everett Pontiac before eventually being hired by Louis Krempa as a carpenter. He then started his own business, building and remodeling many homes in the Port Clinton/Catawba/Danbury area. Our parents also worked to support their growing family by working in the fields during the growing season here in Ohio and Michigan, and night jobs cleaning local business offices, a work ethic that was passed on to their children. He retired in the late 1990s, and he built his winter home in Pharr, Texas, reconnecting with friends and family in that area.

He was a devout Catholic, a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Port Clinton, and participated in the Cursillo Movement retreats in the 1970s. He was a regular at the daily morning masses there, and especially enjoyed the Friday morning masses, when the schoolchildren attended. They sang Happy Birthday to him for his 90th birthday! He was a big fan of Father John Missler. He also enjoyed going to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, and the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan in Texas.

He loved to dance at weddings, bailes, and parties with our mother and family. He had good times with the Mexican American community here, playing baseball in Gypsum and poker games. He enjoyed trips to Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and other states to see family, frequently taking grandchildren with them. He liked to have tootsie rolls handy to pass out to friends and strangers.

He is survived by his sons, Juan F (June) Obregon, Ontario, Abel Obregon, Port Clinton, and Jose A Obregon, Williamsburg, Va.; daughters, Esperanza (Jordan) Davenport, Port Clinton, Rosalia Hakin and Diana (Tim) Pluciniak, both of Oak Harbor, and Lupe Obregon, Huron; Twenty-four grandchildren will miss their grandpa: Jason, Kristina, Angelina, Sarah, Adam, Jim, Maria Jane, Emily, Theresa, Elijah, Vincente, Roeselare, Aaron, Atari, Chaz, Patrick O, Caitlin, Tony, Patrick F, Beatrice, Iris, Marcella, Rhonda and Steven. He was also blessed to spend time with his 35 great grands, and 6 great great grands. He would give them brazos (hugs) and tell them he wanted to “Break” their bones”. He was preceded by his parents, his wife of 49 years, Maria in 1996, sons, Arthur and Raul Obregon, and his brothers and sisters Socorro, Vicente, Catalina, Francisca, and Enrique Obregon.

Our Dad would often say as we drove him around the area these last few years, Rock Ledge, Perry Street, the Bay Bridge, how lucky he and mom were to have chosen to move here all those years ago, and raise their family around “the beautiful, beautiful lake”. Our thanks for the care provided by the awesome staff at Edgewood Manor these last few weeks, the visits from Fathers Jon Wight and Zach Brown, Sister Peg, and Stein Hospice. Gracias.

Visitation was held on Sunday, Oct. 31, at the Gerner-Wolf-Walker Funeral Home, 216 Washington Street, Port Clinton. Additional visitation was held on Monday, Nov. 1, until a Mass of Christian Burial at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 414 Madison Street, Port Clinton, with Father Jonathan Wight officiating. Burial followed in Christy Chapel Cemetery, Portage Township.

Memorials for our dad can be made to The Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, Immaculate Conception School’s Adopt a Child Fund to aid students in need, or donations to local food pantries as he was known to offer groceries, food, and meals to anyone he thought he could help. Online condolences may be expressed at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com.