If you asked a hundred people who Derly Thatcher Sr. was, they'd all give you a different answer. A backhoe operator. A dozer operator. The best motor grader operator. A drinker and a man who loved to have a good time and raising a little hell. He was a romantic, in his own unique way and a lovely dancer. The world's oldest teenager. He was a fighter.  He was boisterous and bigger than life. He was jovial and told jokes that only he understood. He was confrontational and not someone you should cross. But to those who knew him best, he was simply, " El Viejon" and to know him was to love him.

Mr. Thatcher never had any type of formal education, but he had a wealth of knowledge and a lifetime of experience in his chosen field. He held many titles and could do an array of things. He spent most of his life in oilfield service as a heavy machinery operator in construction and pipeline. To those who worked alongside him, he's best remembered for his no quit till the job is done attitude. It was a point of pride for him when he said,. "I can drive anything with wheels and something's without". He had an uncanny ability to operate any machine he was assigned and operate it to its fullest capabilities.  He was best known as a motor grader operator and it was also his favorite machine to operate. He retired as a motor grader operator from the Zapata County Maintenance Dept. in 2009.

He was born to Juan Thatcher Sr. and Paula Moreno Thatcher on June 15, 1951 in Zapata Viejo. He was the fourth born of eight siblings and the third oldest of five brothers.

He spent his youth on the family ranch and his family often worked as migrant workers traveling to Maryland amongst other places to work. He never was one to sit still very long and for that reason, not a very good student. He always said that he learned everything he needed to learn through hard work and that his time was better spent doing something useful than listening to some boring teacher.

In 1975, his first son was born and in October of 1978 he married Arlina Garcia of San Ygnacio, TX. whom he referred to lovingly as his "viejita" until his final breath.

Mr. Thatcher had four children, Derly Jr., Robert, Selina Lynnae and Lindsey Annette Thatcher, respectively.

Mr. Thatcher is preceded in death by his parents Juan and Paula Thatcher Sr., brothers, Jose Corando Thatcher, Oscar Thatcher and his sisters Ma. Elena Ramirez and Ma. Omedì Thatcher, granddaughters Kimberly Faith Thatcher and Lucìa Alìz Medina all of Zapata.

Mr. Thatcher is survived by his former wife Arlina G. Thatcher of Zapata. Derly Thatcher Jr.( Valeria Esquivel) of San Ygnacio.

Robert (Jennifer) Thatcher of Zapata. Selina Lynnae Thatcher of San Antonio, TX and Lindsey A. (Humberto) Medina Jr. of Zapata. Grandchildren Samantha Marie Thatcher, Oscar Maickol Thatcher, Grecia Giselle Medina and Derly Thatcher III As well as, his brothers Juan( Petrita) Thatcher Jr., Rudy (Elisa) Thatcher. His sisters Viola Thatcher and Yolanda (Joel Pacheco) Thatcher; sister-in-law, Gloria Thatcher as well as numerous nieces and nephews and extended family.

Mr. Thatcher passed on to glory peacefully, on 23 June in the year of our Lord, Two thousand and Twenty one at Laredo Medical Center surrounded by his loving family after complications and a lengthy illness.

Visitation hours will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. with a rosary at 9:30 a.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home.

A graveside service will follow at 10:30 a.m. at Zapata County Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 N. US HWY 83 Zapata, Texas.