The Honorable Jude Eliseo "Cheo" B. Vega, 62, lifetime resident and longtime municipal court judge of Port Isabel, Texas passed way peacefully surrounded by the glory of Christ and the love of his wife and children on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at Methodist Hospital in Houston. Eliseo had been a Municipal Judge in Port Isobel since 1971. He formerly served as senior vice president for Merchant Marine Bank and was currently employed with the Linebarger Law Office as a public relations liaison. Eliseo served as a Point Isabel Independent School District trustee for 33 years, from 1969-2001. He was also appointed as a trustee to the South Texas Independent School District by Cameron County Judge Gilberto Hinojosa in 2005. He remained on the STISD board until his death. To honor Eliseo for his many contributions, PIISD renamed their Junior High School Complex after him in 1988. He was also inducted to the PHSD Hall of Fame in 2002. He was honored with induction into the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame in 2005. As a civic leader, Eliseo served as an officer or member of numerous economic, education, and public service organizations including the Port Isabel/South Padre Island chamber of Commerce, Port Isabel Urban Development Board, Texas Association of School Boards, National Association of School Boards, Salvation Army Service Units (local director from 1077 to present), Port Isabel Jaycees, Port Isabel Volunteer Fire Department, the Port Isabel/South Padre Island Lions Club, the American Legion Post 498 of Port Isabel, and the Texas Municipal Courts Association. He was also a lifetime member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Port Isabel. Eliseo is survived by his wife of 40 years, Olga M. Vega; six children, Joe Eliseo (Lucy) Vega, Alberto M. (Dylbia) Vega, Nelda (Donico) Godinez, Armando M. (Cecilia) Vega, Olgaisela (Mike) Carter, and Arlene Diane Vega; three sisters, Maria del Rosario (Benito Jr.) Ochoa, Sofia Carrillo, Beatriz (Juan) Zapata; two brothers, Joe (Daisy) Anorga, Porfirio (Mary Lou) Vega; grandchildren, Carla Elis Godinez, Claudia Nicole Godinez, Donico Godinez II, Elliot Jude Carter, Myles Jude Carter, Aiden Alberto Vega, Addyson Belen Vega, Isabella Breana Vega, Armando Mateo Vega II, Cecilia Micaela Vega; and his best friend, Roger (Carmen) Villarreal. He was preceded in death by his parents, Juan and Isabel B. Vega; two grandchildren, Dylan Alberto Vega and Amanda Carina Vega; father-in-law, Justo Medino; mother-in-law, Maria Del Jesus Medina; brothers-in-law, Alfonso Medina, Justo Medina Jr. A public visitation will be held from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at Thomae-Garza Funeral Home in Sa Benito Tuesday, March 13. Visitation will continue at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 705 S. Longoria St. in Port Isabel, with a Holy Rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. Funeral service s will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. Interment will follow to the Port Isabel City Cemetery. The Public is invited to a celebration of life held at the Port Isabel Fire Hall following the funeral. Pall bearers will be Bennie Ochoa III, Cesar Olvera, Frank Mata, Roger Villarreal, Joel Ochoa, Juan Trevino, Martin Pena Jr., and Julio Lozano. Honorary pallbearers will be Judge Gilberto Hinojosa, Enrique "Rick" Pena, Congressman Solomon Ortiz, Senator Eddie Lucio, former State Rep. Jim Solis, Sheriff Omar Lucio, County Clerk Joe G. Rivera, Mayor Bob Pinkerton, Mayor Patrick Marchan, Commissioner Juan Jose "JJ" Zamora, Commissioner Martin Cantu, Maria Garza (wife of the late Commissioner Jesus Garza), Arnie Gonzalez, Joe Castillo, Gualberto Gonzalez, Hugo De La Cruz, Dominic Guerra, and all municipal court judges, justices of the peace, state district and county court at law judges in the Rio Grande Valley, as well as past and current PIISD and STISD school board trustees, members of the Cameron County Commissioners Court, and Laguna Madre area elected officials. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Eliseo B. Vega Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2002, First National Bank #0311023162, 115 East Queen Isabella, Port Isabel, Texas 78578. Words of comfort may be sent to the Vega Family at www.thomaegarza.com . Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, (956) 399-1331