Valentin Zapata, 72, of Beaumont, passed away on December 26, 2016, at Memorial Herman Hospital in Houston.

Funeral services will be 10:00a.m., Friday, December 30, 2016, at Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home in Beaumont. Burial will follow at Haven of Rest Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas.

Visitation will be from 5:00p.m.-8:00p.m., with a rosary at 6:00p.m., on Thursday, at Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home in Beaumont.

Born in Palau, Coahuila, Mexico, on February 18, 1944, He was the son of Antonio and Blasa (Torres) Zapata. Valentin was a very intelligent man who used his love of music to teach himself to play the guitar. He worked for C.A. Turner and then later started his own business, Zapata Lawn Service, where he worked alongside his wife Maria. Through his hard work he put all of his children through school.

Valentin is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Maria; his children, Valentin Zapata, Jr. and wife, Sabrina of Humble, Agustin Segura and wife, Johnette of Fannett, Maria Freeman and husband, Shane of Beaumont, and Joel Zapata of Palau, Coahuila, Mexico. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Orlando and Giovanni Zapata, Ashton, Kai and Cruz Segura, and Hannah, Malorie and Jake Freeman; brother, Ramon Zapata; and his sister, Sofia Zapata.

Serving as pallbearers will be Shane Freeman, Ashton Segura, Orlando Zapata, Domingo Flores, Adrian Rojas and David de la Rosa.