Gilbert Joe Lopez, 81, of Hale Center, died Monday, December 26, 2016, in Lubbock. Rosary will be said at 7:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 28 at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Hale Center. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, December 29, at Hale Center Cemetery with Fr. John Smith officiating and under the direction of Ramage Funeral Directors.

Gilbert was born March 13, 1935, in South Plains, Texas to John and Salome Lopez. He was a lifetime Hale Center resident and was a Catholic. He loved to joke around and enjoyed smoking cigars and playing pool. He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Mary Ann Atencio, and three brothers.

Survivors include two sons, Gilbert Joe Lopez, Jr. of Lubbock and Jesse John Lopez and wife Veronica of Hale Center, three daughters, Elizabeth Leyendecker of Lubbock, Christina Naranjo and husband Pedro Naranjo, Jr. of Hale Center, and S'Tracy McClellan of Utah, a brother, Willie Lopez, Sr. of Hale Center, and four sisters, Stella Jaramillo of Colorado Springs, CO, Sally Rael of Belin, N.M., Julia Breseno of Colorado Springs, CO, and Margaret Gerhardt of Hale Center. He was blessed with 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.