Hipolito Sanchez, Jr. Obituary
Hipolito Sanchez Jr., 67 of rural Lancaster, Missouri passed away at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday morning, August 1, 2021 at 12:15 a.m. after a valiant fight to continue his hard work and passions, Hipolito Jr. was finally at peace surrounded by family.
The oldest of eight children, Hipolito Jr. was born on March 15, 1954 in Val Verde, Texas to Hipolito H. and Eva (Hernandez) Sanchez. His father, a ranch hand packed up the family when Hipolito, Jr. was only 17 years old and they landed in Dubuque, Iowa where he would meet the love of his life, his future wife, Diane Miller. On November 13, 1976 in Dubuque, Iowa, Hipolito, Jr. and Diane Miller were united in marriage. With a desire to start a family, they packed up and moved to Schuyler County, Missouri, where he farmed, sheared and raised his close-knit family of six children, Hipolito, III, John, Michael, Willie, Laticia and Jackie.
Hipolito, Jr. had a heart and smile that everyone who met him would never forget. His passions in life were for robust conversations, shearing sheep and his family. Whether he was your shearer, friend, acquaintance or all three, his one-of-a-kind, rarely quiet voice told you he wanted to know YOU.
Through work, Hipolito, Jr. pursued his true-life passion of getting to know people and in making people happy. He traveled from Utah to Indiana and from Oklahoma to Minnesota shearing. Hipolito, Jr. sheared sheep and goats in more that 15 states and putting a smile on those at every stop. He was a dependable shearer who arrived on time, worked swiftly and always made time to understand the farmer or rancher’s needs.
Hipolito, Jr. enjoyed working with 4-H and FFA sheep shows, and he loved watching young children grow to sheep showing teens and then keeping in touch as they grew into productive adults.
Most important to him was his family. His children’s accomplishments were his own and his grandchildren were his endless joy. He leaves a family legacy that will continue the hard work and kindness that was modeled through a lifetime of work and love. Hipolito, Jr. is preceded in death by his parents, Hipolito, Sr., and Eva Sanchez. Hipolito Jr. is survived by his wife of nearly 45 years, Diane Sanchez of rural Lancaster, Missouri; his four sons and two daughters and 13 grandchildren, Hipolito III Sanchez (Jennifer) of Belvidere, Illinois and their children, Hipolito IV, Billy, Danielle, Eva, John Sanchez (Maria) of Meza, Arizona and their children, Gael and Diego, Michael Sanchez (April) of Woodbury, Minnesota and their son, Tristan, Willie Sanchez (Angela) of Owensboro, Kentucky and their children Kaylyn, Brogan, Maxton and Graden, Laticia Bobongi (Samy) of Mount Rainier, Maryland and Jackie Sanchez (Brett) and their children, Axel and Ezra of Peoria, Arizona; four brothers and three sisters, Maria Kuper (Bill), Santiago Sanchez (Carmen), Gloria Smith (Steve), Sylvia Fisher (Bill), Steve Sanchez, Oscar Sanchez (Kathleen) and Martin Sanchez (Patti); numerous nieces and nephews and other family members.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at the Norman Funeral Home in Lancaster, Missouri with Larry Smith, Pastor of the Downing Christian Church in Downing, Missouri officiating. Music will be a special CD selection of “Go Rest High On That Mountain”. Pallbearers will be Hipolito Sanchez IV, Billy Sanchez, Santiago Sanchez, Steve Sanchez, Oscar Sanchez and Martin Sanchez. Visitation will be held two hours prior to the funeral services from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m. at the Norman Funeral Home in Lancaster, Missouri. Online condolences may be expressed to the family by logging in to normanfh.com. Burial will be in the Arni Memorial Cemetery in Lancaster, Missouri. Arrangements are under the direction of the Norman Funeral Home of Lancaster, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for a Scholarship Fund https://gofund.me/5babe928.
