Majin V. Villanueva, Jr. was born on June 25, 1931 in Goliad County to his parents Majin, Sr. and Maria and passed to his eternal rest on May 18, 2014 at the age of 82. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Eva, his wife of 62 years, brothers Joe and Eugenio, and sisters Eusebia, Soila and Juanita. He is survived by his sister Mary and his eight children Martina (Ruben) Garcia, Mary Jane (David) Lerma, Majin III, Mario (Yolanda), John David (Elizabeth), Edward (Brenda), Mary Christi (Alex) Martinez, and Adam Joseph (Michelle), 15 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Majin was a loving, caring husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. His kind spirit, generosity, and loyalty will be dearly missed by those whose lives he touched.  As a resident of Kenedy for most of his life, he devoted himself to his family and community.  Majin was an extremely hard worker for many years at Hubbard’s Grocery Store and later as an insurance agent for the American National Insurance Company. Insurance sales proved to be his calling in life. He was extremely successful as an agent, staff manager and as a district manager with the company. His dedication to his profession brought him great success in the way of awards and promotions into management positions. It also gave him and his wife the opportunity to travel the world to attend conventions sponsored by the company as a reward for a job well done.  Majin was a devout Catholic and a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church and participated in the Spanish Choir for the church. He belonged to several organizations of the community of Kenedy and served several years on the Board of Trustees of Kenedy ISD.

Majin encouraged his loved ones, from the oldest to the youngest, to excel and follow their dreams. Together he and his wife raised a successful family, all who have shown the same belief as his – that you can achieve whatever you put your mind and body to. Each of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren held a special place in his heart. There was nothing more that could bring a huge smile and a twinkle to his eye than to have his family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren around him.

He was an honest man and never hesitated to express his opinion. He stood strongly by his convictions, always in a respectful, dignified manner. He faced life head on and never let anything discourage him. He fought through serious illness, the illness and death of loved ones and other circumstances that would have made others despair and give up. To the very end he was strong and talked, not about the misfortune of being ill, but about the opportunity to see his beloved wife again. With his children beside him in the last days of his life he knew that they loved him and that they strongly cared about him. He passed peacefully from their loving arms to the arms of his Lord, Jesus Christ.

Visitation was held from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Wednesday, May 21 at Eckols Funeral Home in Kenedy.  The rosary was recited at 7:00 PM. that evening.  A Funeral Mass was celebrated at 10:00 AM. Thursday, May 22, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church.  Interment followed at the Kenedy Cemetery. Serving as pall bearers were his five sons Majin III, Mario, John David, Edward and Adam Joseph, his grandsons Alex Martinez, Jr. and Edward Lee Villanueva and son-in-law Ruben Garcia.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Kidney Foundation.