Felix Gomez Caballero

Felix was born in Cornejo Burgos, Spain, on March 24, 1928. Felix passed away April 12, 2017 in Longview, Washington.

Felix’s early youth took place in Spain at a tumultuous time, just as the country was on the brink of civil war. When the Caballero family needed to escape in 1936, circumstances required Felix and his older brother Victor to remain in Spain under the care of a monastic order, while the family sought refuge in the U.S.

Later, thanks in part to the American Red Cross, 11-year-old Victor and 10-year-old Felix traveled together across the Atlantic Ocean on the ship named Vulcania, and arrived at Ellis Island on Sept. 30, 1938, to rejoin their family who settled in Carteret, New Jersey. Later the family moved to the Los Angeles area, where Felix attended school.

At the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Panama. Shortly after his discharge from the Army, Felix was hired by Union Pacific Railroad as an upholsterer, and worked for them for 20 years. He married Eileen Bay on Feb. 24, 1971, in Las Vegas. She preceded him in death Nov. 12, 2007.

After retiring from Union Pacific Railroad, he became a self-employed upholsterer in Compton, California. The couple moved to Astoria in 1971, where they opened Bay’s Upholstery, and Felix worked until his health failed in 2015. Working in his upholstery shop was Felix’s passion, and he enjoyed visiting with his customers. He also enjoyed raising and spending time with his Boston terriers.

In 2016, Cab moved to the Walker house in Longview, Washington, where he lived until his death.

He is survived by a brother, Fernando Caballero of Rosemead, California; a sister-in-law, Jeanne Fluhrer of Clatskanie, Oregon; two brothers-in-law, Richard Bay of La Center, Washington, and Glen Bay of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and many nephews and nieces, including Victor Caballero of Pasadena, California, Dan Caballero of Whittier, California, Derrick Fluhrer of Sammamish, Washington, and Scott Fluhrer of Miami, Florida.

Graveside services will be held Friday, April 21, 2017, at 11 a.m., at Knappa Prairie Cemetery, 92924 Knappa Dock Road, Astoria, OR 97103.

Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. Please sign our online guest book at www.caldwellsmortuary.com