Eduardo C. "Pocho" Bautista

Eduardo “Poncho” C. Bautista, Sr. of Emporia died on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at Newman Regional Health in Emporia.  He was 75.

Eduardo was born on December 3, 1948, in Couches, Texas, the son of Pedro Colunga and Rosario Bautista de Colunga.  He married Maria San Juana Rodriguez DeAvilia on March 31, 1972, in El Paso, Texas.  She survives.

Surviving family members include, sons, Eduardo C. Bautista, Jr. of Emporia and Jose D. Bautista of Wellston, Oklahoma; daughters, Carmela Nava of Coppell, Texas, and Celia Bautista of Topeka; grandchildren, Jose “Nano” Bautista, Daniela Barron, Miguel Bautista, Damian Gutierrez, Gabrial Bautista, Dominic Munoz, Erika Munoz, Emilio Bautista, Nicolas Bautista, Cruz Bautista, Marcos Benitez, Lindavista Benitez, Pedro Bolanos, and Paloma Bolanos; great-grandchildren, Naomi Bautista, Ciara Esquivel, Thiago Esquivel, and Cuauhtemoc Bautista; brothers, Pedro Colunga, Jr. and Alberto Colunga both of Emporia; sisters, Maria Landeros, Maria Eugenia Saenz, and Yvonne Colunga all of Emporia.

He is preceded in death by his parents, son Pablo Bautista, grandson Pablo Bolanos, brother Javiar Colunga, and sister Carmela Colunga.

Eduardo worked in Maintence at the Emporia High School.  He was a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.

Mass of Christian burial will take place at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, December 30, 2023, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Emporia with burial following at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.  The rosary will be recited at 5:00 p.m., Friday night at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, Emporia.