Edcouch soldier killed in Iraq

An Edcouch native died in combat in Iraq over the weekend.

Estevan Altamirano, who graduated from Edcouch-Elsa High School in 1999, was in the Army.
Altamirano's family was informed of his death yesterday, an Edcouch city employee told The Monitor.

Mary Contreras, Altamirano's aunt, said the family still was not sure how her nephew had died. She said his body would be flown into Delaware, but the family did not know when that would be.

She said she thought Altamirano had served in the Army for about 10 years and he had done three tours of duty in the Middle East.

"He loved the army," Contreras said. "He loved fighting for his country."

Altamirano was married to Pamela Gutierrez Altamirano, according to his Facebook page.

He had three children and two step children, family members said.

Altamirano's wife and their children live in McAllen, said Edcouch-Elsa School Board President Joseph Campos. Altamirano's mother lives in Edinburg and his father lives in Edcouch.

His two sons live in Colorado and will fly in to be with the family, Contreras said.

Those who knew Estevan Altamirano described him as an outgoing family man.

"He would always be laughing," said his cousin Veronica Altamirano. "He was always joking around with is, he was a good father a brother and cousin."

At his high school, teacher Deborah Villarreal called Estevan Altamirano the kind of student she was drawn to from the time she met him as a freshman.

"He was just one of those kids that—I don't know how to describe it from a teacher's perspective—that you just know you want to try harder because you know he has the potential but maybe doesn't believe it," she said.

Villarreal remembered the student, who she just called Steve, as respectable, hardworking and interested in cars. She recalled him always trying to build up from a modest upbringing.

"I'm very proud of the fact that he did do better," she said.

He is the second Valley soldier to be killed overseas this month.

Last week Weslaco native Rodolfo "Rudy" Rodriguez was killed in Afghanistan. He was 26.