Richard B. Bolanos

Getting four brothers to agree on anything might seem impossible. Getting four brothers to enlist in the military and serve in Vietnam at the same time was nothing short of remarkable. The fact that three of them saw combat together, quite simply extraordinary. Richard B. Bolaños, the youngest of the brothers, known to friends and family as Rick, carried the courage he showed on the battlefield into every part of his life. From coaching young athletes, to teaching students, advocating for veterans, and caring for the elderly; Rick lived by a simple creed: service to others was the truest measure of a life well-lived.

Rick was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in a tight-knit family where loyalty and duty were more than words—they were a way of life. Even as a child, he learned the value of hard work. While his peers were focused on school, Rick spent hours in the fields, picking cotton or hunched over strawberries, or washing trucks at Holman’s Dairy—all while still in grade school. These early experiences, demanding and unglamorous though they were, shaped a character defined by perseverance, responsibility, and an instinct to serve.

Inspired by his brothers and driven by a sense of responsibility that had been instilled in him since childhood, Rick enlisted in the United States Army while still in high school. He would go on to serve with distinction as a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) soldier and Army Ranger, assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Division and the 101st Airborne Division, and later associated with the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG).

In Vietnam, Rick’s courage and skill were tested in unimaginable ways. He was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” for valor, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and an Expert Badge (M-14), and he bore the Purple Heart after being wounded three times in combat, including a gunshot to the head. The extraordinary service of Rick and his brothers was recognized at the highest level; President Lyndon B. Johnson personally commended the family for their bravery.

After Vietnam Rick was the owner and operator of Pit Stop Custom Body Shop in El Paso, a business he built with his own hands and oversaw from the ground up. He had a hand in every aspect of the work, from repairing vehicles to managing operations, and he took pride in the craft and precision of the job. He loved to talk about the custom paint jobs he painstakingly created for the vehicles he worked on. While he excelled in the work and enjoyed it, Rick felt a stirring for something more—a calling that would allow him not only to provide for others but to guide, mentor, and uplift them in ways the shop could not. That sense of purpose would soon lead him back into the classroom and onto the playing field, where he would touch countless lives over the years.

Rick began channeling the same discipline and determination that had carried him through war into his education. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from New Mexico Highlands University, where he was named to the National Dean’s List and Who’s Who of Hispanic Students, and received recognition from the Small Business Awards. While pursuing his studies, he worked at the radio station KFUN, sharpening the voice and confidence that would later animate countless sporting events and community endeavors.

A desire to represent and serve his Hispanic community led Rick also attend Marquette University Law School. Before he could finish, family duty called him back to El Paso to care for his ailing father—a decision that reflected the same loyalty and devotion that had defined his life since childhood. True to form, he did not ask for military assistance with his education; he preferred to earn his accomplishments through his own effort.

Once back in his hometown of El Paso Rick leaned back into teaching and coaching. In doing so, he found his true calling. He shared his knowledge and guidance with students across school districts including Las Vegas City Schools, EPISD, YISD, Canutillo, and Shorewood, and at colleges such as Lakeland University, Concordia University, and New Mexico Highlands. But for Rick, teaching was never simply about subjects or grades—it was about shaping character and helping young people navigate life. On the field, he coached with the same rigor and encouragement he had known as a his whole life. With a passion that fueled many young man on the field, you could often hear him repeating his famous “3 Ps”: “Perceive, Pursue, and Punish!” with such a fervor that anybody within earshot truly believed in them. Another guiding principle, “Time and effort equal success,” was a constant refrain that he preached to not only his athletes but to all of his students to appreciate and apply to every facet of their lives.

Over the years, countless former players returned simply to thank him, a testament not only to his skill as a coach but to the lasting impression he left on their lives. Rick saw coaching as an opportunity to give young people the guidance and support he wished he had always received, helping them face challenges with courage, discipline, and integrity. Whether in the classroom or on the field, he poured his energy into nurturing potential, believing that every student and player deserved the chance to succeed.

Even after retiring from teaching and coaching, Rick’s devotion to helping others never waned. He spent countless hours advocating for veterans locally and across the United States, and during his work with the John Kerry campaign, he traveled extensively, giving passionate speeches in support of those who had served. Locally, he advocated relentlessly for veterans and organized Christmas parties for children with special needs as part of the Bolaños Brothers Veterans Foundation, and he founded America’s Best Care, a home healthcare business, to continue serving his community with the same dedication he had shown throughout his life.

Music remained a quiet but powerful thread throughout all of this. Those who knew him best remember a voice both strong and gentle, capable of lifting the spirits of any room he entered. Though not widely recognized for it, his musical talent was a gift he cherished and joyfully passed on to his children and grandchildren, nurturing a love of music that became part of the Bolaños family legacy. For Rick, music was another way to uplift, connect, and bring joy to others, just as he had done through coaching, teaching, and advocacy.

Above all else, Rick was devoted to his family. Rick’s love of family was perhaps most visible in the traditions he cherished. A lifelong and devoted fan of the Dallas Cowboys, he rarely missed the chance to watch them play, but no game meant more to him than the one that came each Thanksgiving. Year after year, the family gathered for the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game, sharing food, laughter, and the electricity of the stadium as Rick cheered on his team with the enthusiasm of someone who had been loyal for a lifetime. For those seated beside him, the game was never just about football; it was about being together. In those moments, surrounded by family and the familiar rhythm of a holiday tradition, Rick was exactly where he loved to be.

Rick Bolaños is preceded in death by his parents, Luis and Margaret Bolaños; his son, Richard Issac Bolaños; his grandson, Zach Thurmond; and his brothers Bill and Louie Bolaños. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Cathy Bolaños; his children, Richard Joseph Bolaños (Erica), Alyssa Bolaños, Richard Rocky Bolaños (Janet), and Dawn Thurmond Cue (George); his siblings Benjamin, Jesus, Emilio, Gilbert, Michael, Louie, Bertha Bolaños Mendez, Lucy Bryant, and Virginia Bolaños; fourteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild; and a wide circle of extended family and friends who will continue to honor and cherish his memory.

A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Sunset Funeral Homes–West, with a Rosary beginning at 6:00 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2026, at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 1551 Belvidere St., El Paso, Texas. Interment will follow at 3:00 p.m. at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Services are entrusted to Sunset Funeral Homes–West, 480 N. Resler Dr., El Paso. A Reception will be held from 4:30pm to 8:30pm at Grace Gardens, 6701 Westside Dr.

Though Rick Bolaños may have left this world, the lessons he imparted—through courage, service, mentorship, and song—will continue to resonate in the lives of all who knew him. His legacy is not only in the accomplishments he achieved but in the countless lives he touched, the guidance he offered, and the love he shared freely. In every classroom, on every playing field, and in every song sung by his family, Rick’s presence will be remembered, celebrated, and cherished for generations to come.