Dionisio Esparza Lopez

Papo spent nearly 20 years as the manager of the Johnson Ranch in Bulverde, Texas. He was a creative and curious man with a lifelong fascination with extraterrestrial life. There was never a shortage of outer-space and alien-related magazines, figurines, or pictures around him. Among his many hobbies were drawing and composing music - several of his Spanish-language songs were even formally recorded in the 1970s. Above all, Papo cherished time spent with family and he took great pride in carrying on family traditions. Every Fourth of July, he could be found lighting up the night with his signature Bottle Rockets. Every Christmas, he proudly wore his festive Santa hat and passed out gifts like our very own Santa Claus. These traditions, along with the many memories created around them, will remain a treasured part of his family's story.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Delia; his children, Hugo Lopez and his wife Jessica, Sylvia Al-Manakhi, Claudia Warren and her husband Blair, and Alex Lopez and his wife Veronica; his grandchildren, Samantha Gonzalez and her husband Adrian, Eric Gates, Zachary Warren, Matthew Lopez, and Aiden Lopez; and his great-grandchildren, Natalie and Abigail Gates, Rafael, Miguel, and Santiago Gonzalez. He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Cynthia Lopez.

Dionisio lived a long life defined by hard work, creativity, curiosity, music, and most importantly, family. He will be remembered with love by all who knew him and by the generations of family whose lives carry forward his traditions and memory. We will miss you Papo.