Jose Luis "Joey" Cabezuela III

Jose Luis Cabezuela III of Odessa, Tx, affectionately known as Joey passed away Friday night, October 18, 2024, at the Veteran Hospital in Big Spring, Tx at the age of fifty with his mother at his side. Joey was the eldest of four boys born to Jose Luis Cabezuela, Jr and Viola Cabezuela.

Joey was born and raised in Van Horn, Tx. He attended Van Horn High School and graduated in the class of 1993. Soon after at the age of nineteen, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He continued his career of service by enlisting in the Army from 1999-2005 which would take him on deployment to patrol the Korean Demilitarized Zone and to the Gulf War as a participant in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He would go on to obtain a Master of Arts degree from Sul Ross State University and would teach and coach high school locally before starting his final career as an inspector for the Texas Railroad Commission.

Joey enjoyed reading books on history, riding his motorcycle, traveling, spending his leisure time with friends and family, and visiting the family ranch in Presidio, Tx where he would find solace and peace from his suffering. He found joy in caring for his cat Milo and taking care of the neighborhood cats as they found their way to his back yard; also, teasing his niece and nephew about going to Chuck E Cheese or the carnival and seeing them frantically scramble to find their shoes. He was an avid fan of the Las Vegas Raiders and heavy metal music. But most of all he found joy in spoiling those he loved.

While Joey survived death on the battlefields of Iraq, he could not escape the consequences of war. Derived from the burn pits outside Tikrit, he would bring back with him the disease that he would continue to fight on domestic soil long after the conflict had ended, and which ultimately would claim his life; but a life taken not in vain for Joey made the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life for his country.

Preceded in death by his brothers Jacob and Jacob Ross Cabezuela. He is survived by his parents Jose Luiz and Viola Cabezuela, brother Mark Anthony and his wife Roxann Cabezuela, nephew Alasdair Maximilian, niece Madeleine Victoire, and numerous loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

A viewing will be held on Friday, October 25, 2024 beginning at 6:00pm, with a 7: 00 pm to 8:30 pm Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024 officiated by Father Serjio Legarreta at 10:00 am. The burial will follow at the Van Horn Cemetery.

The funeral arrangements are in the care of Heritage Funeral Home of Van Horn, Texas.