Good Memories

Freddy Fender dies, and no one told me? Hometown pays last respects to Freddy Fender

Fender died of cancer Saturday at his home in Corpus Christi. He is being buried Wednesday in San Benito, where he was born. Today, mourners streamed in to Our Lady of the Universe Catholic church.

I guess it doesn't mean much to folks up here, but Freddy Fender was practically an "icon" in some parts of Texas.

A year ago, the country-pop singer's visage was painted onto the city's water tower, a landmark in the flat South Texas borderlands. But everybody here already knew where the man who crooned "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," and "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" was from.

Criminy, that brings back some memories...good times in "honkey tonks", small town Texas. :)

Fender, a Marine in the 1950s, was buried in white Marine Corps military dress, a Marine Corps League hat folded at his waist. Family snapshots filled the inside of the coffin.

Thanks Freddy, for your service, and for the great memories. Rest In Peace!