Juan Jose Cavazos Cadena

Juan Jose Cavazos Cadena, of Oak Leaf, Texas passed away Tuesday, November 1, 2022, ALL SAINTS DAY at 86. Juan was born December 25, 1935, to the late Jesus Cadena and Maria Cavazos in Luling, Texas. His family moved to the Saginaw, Michigan, area when he was 10. Before he was drafted, he worked in construction. At the age of 23 he was drafted into the US Army where he served two years in Germany and then two additional years in the Army Reserves. Later in Saginaw, Michigan he worked for Poverty Peoples Alliance, where at a speaking engagement at Delta College, he met the love of his life, Martha Torres and they were married on July 23, 1971. He was very involved in the Civil Rights Movement and the lettuce boycott with Cesar Chavez. They moved to Muscatine, Iowa in 1971 and started their family. He was the Director of the Muscatine Migrant Committee, where he ran two Migrant Health Clinics for farmworkers in the state of Iowa. After funding for the Muscatine Migrant Committee ran out, Juan worked for the Muscatine School District as an At-Risk Coordinator for grades K-12, retiring in 2005. Juan had a passion for soccer and coached for 30 years in Muscatine. He was one of many persons instrumental in introducing soccer to the Muscatine Community. He was ordained a Deacon in 1981 in Davenport, Iowa for the Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Juan and Martha moved to Oak leaf, Texas in 2010 to be closer to their grandchildren. He became the Religious Education Coordinator at Corpus Christi Catholic Parish in Ferris, Texas in 2015, retiring in 2020. He was dedicated, devoted, and loved his family and friends. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He has preceded in death by his son Manuel Torres Cadena, his parents Jesus and Maria Cadena and 8 siblings.

He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years Martha Cadena of Oak Leaf, Texas, daughter Martha and Oscar Hinojosa of Grand Prairie, Tx., son Francisco Cadena of Oak Leaf, Tx., son Patricio and Kelly Scanlon-Cadena of Oak Park, Illinois; seven grandchildren: Oscarito, Julian, Isaac, Nadia, Joaquin, Iliana and Leandro; sister Guadalupe Reyna of Carrollton, Michigan; sisters-in-law: Ana Cadena of Alma, Michigan, Francis Cadena of Alabama; Ramon Torres, Esther Harris, Rafael Torres, Eliza Hesse and Cruz Torres from Saginaw, Michigan as well as numerous nieces, nephews.

Visitation will be Friday, November 11, 2022, from 5 to 9 PM with rosary at 7 PM at Green Funeral Home Red Oak, Texas.

Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday, November 12 at 9 AM at the Corpus Christi Catholic Parish in Ferris, Texas.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Juan Jose Cavazos Cadena, please visit our floral store.