Joe Dolores Gaitan

Joe Dolores Gaitan, 63, of Boerne, Texas, passed away on May 25th, 2020, peacefully with his family at his side. Joe was born in Portales, New Mexico, on October 19th, 1956. He Graduated from Boerne High School and went on to successfully complete Manual Portable Air Defense Technical School in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Joe married Martha Navejas on June 13th, 1981; they were married for 39 years. Joe’s most current occupation was in the service department at Ford of Boerne, where he enjoyed working for over 8 years. Prior to Ford of Boerne, he worked as service, maintenance and custodian at Boerne School District (BISD for 27 amazing years before retiring. Prior to BISD, Joe was a Non-Commissioned Officer with the U.S. Army. His accomplishments while serving included Active Duty in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. His awards included: Marksman Qualification Badge for the M-16 Assault Rifle (Expert)/ Qualification Badge for the Hand Grenade(Expert)/Southwest Asia Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars/Good Conduct Medal/Army Service Ribbon/Overseas Service Ribbon/Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon/Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Joe was an amazing soldier and retired honorably on July 27th, 1991. He touched the hearts of everyone who crossed his path. He was a loving husband, an amazing father and grandfather, a caring brother and a loyal friend. He will be remembered by the way he would dance with his grandkids goofily in the kitchen, his endless pit of stomach, the way he’d make jokes with friends and family, his upbeat and positively energetic attitude he carried with him, his bright white shoes, his unforgettable laugh and his great big smile that would light up the room. To be in his presence, was something truly special because you could feel his caring heart. His daughter said it best when she said: “He didn’t have a single bad bone in his body.” Joe loved food, he loved relaxing and watching his old western movies, he loved hearing about your day, playing board games with his grandchildren, sitting in his chair on the front porch and waving at the cars going by or engaging in conversations with his neighbors. Joe is survived by his wife, Martha; daughter, Lillian Gaitan Ledesma and her husband Roman Ledesma; his three grandchildren: Princess, Junior, and Desi; his four sisters: Vida, Erlinda, Maria, and Ester; his two brothers, Robert and Mando; his nieces and nephews; and the rest of his family and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Tomas Gaitan and Enedina Nieto. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. A private burial will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. To leave condolences for the family and to view a video of Joe's life, please visit www.ebensberger-fisher.com. Arrangements with Ebensberger-Fisher Funeral Home of Boerne.