Eliseo Cantu

Eliseo Cantu, 91, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather of Skidmore, Texas passed on August 10, 2024.

Mr. Cantu was born on November 13, 1932, in Raymondville to Manuel and Santos Cantu. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sinton and was a devoted rancher.

He started working for the Griffith Ranch around the age of 16. He spent 64 years raising cattle and his family on the ranch before retiring at 80 years old. In retirement, he enjoyed tending to and raising cattle on the land he and Ausencia built for their family. He loved to ranch, mow the yard and fix anything that helped him take care of his family or his cows. He especially loved to host Easter holidays with his beloved wife for their friends and family. He was always eager to share his love of the land, cattle and his family with all who came to visit him. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Manuel and Santos Cantu; and his beloved wife, Ausencia Cantu, on April 28, 2015.

Left to cherish precious memories of their father include two sons, Elloy (Nancy) Cantu of St. Paul and Eliseo (beloved Delia Gonzales) Cantu Jr. of Calallen; a daughter, Elilah (David) Cavazos of Sugar Land; as well as sisters, Viola Garcia of San Antonio, Juanita Rodriguez of Beeville, Olga Moreno of Sugar Land, Mary (Fred) Rendon of Beeville, Diana (Chris) Ramirez of Raymondville and Alice (Robert) Cervantes of Harlingen; two brothers, Ralph Cantu of Houston and Richard Cantu of Harlingen; eight grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 13, at Galloway & Sons Funeral Home in Beeville with a Rosary to be recited at 7 o’clock that evening.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 14, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sinton. Burial will follow in the Griffith Ranch Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Matt Petrus, Will Petrus, Ross Partlow, Ernie Garcia, Alfredo “Hito” Rendon Jr. and Roy Pena.