Henri Berlanga

Henri Berlanga, also known as Cice or Popo, 95, of San Antonio, Texas passed away peacefully to be with the Lord August 7th , 2026, only five weeks after losing the love of his life, Juanita. He was born on May 30th, 1931 in Sonora, Texas to Jose Berlanga and Felipa Bermea Berlanga. He was a man of great kindness and loved all his family deeply. He lived a life defined by hard work, great wisdom, and a wonderful sense of humor. He enjoyed a well pressed shirt, cowboy hat, shined boots, and good music to sing and dance to, which included everything from country to conjunto. He played various sports for the Sonora Broncos being one of the first Mexican athletes to integrate in the school system and remained a loyal fan throughout his life. He spent most of his career as a truck driver, in which he achieved a National Champion status as a Teamster while working in Houston and Fort Worth. He also learned and worked various other jobs to provide for his family, but was most proud of serving in the United States Air Force. He is survived by his children, Debbie Reddell (David) and Michael Ted Berlanga; his nine grandchildren, James, Bianca, Genevie (Matt), Elisha (Jason), John David, Caleb, Brianna, Elisha, and Brittany; his great grandchildren Kaelyn, Nadia, Gavin, Sophia and Stella; his great-great grandchildren Elijah, Killian, and Zachariah; his brother Joe Berlanga. He had numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends from California to Virginia that he loved and cared for.

He loved to laugh and used every opportunity to bring joy to others through his jokes and by making the living room a stage or a dance floor. All the children that were in his presence shared fond memories of his finger tricks. He would start by asking “Can you count to ten?” He would then have them count his fingers, of which he only had nine. Five fingers on his right hand, four on his left hand, and one he could magically remove. He was devoted to his family and shared his knowledge of the many skills and talents that he possessed to ensure their success. He never hesitated to show how proud he was, or how much he loved his family. He always reminded them to give thanks and glory to God our Heavenly Father. He loved his country and all that was good. He led by example, teaching his family to be upright and courageous. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 72 years, Juanita, his parents, and his son John Henri Berlanga.

Viewing and visitation will be held on Friday, August 14th from 9:00 am until 11:00 am with the funeral service beginning at 11:00 am at Harper Welch, located at 409 SE Second Street, Sonora, Texas 76950. Burial services will immediately follow at Sonora Cemetery.