John C. Mikul, Jr, 76, of Laguna Vista, Texas, passed away in Harlingen, Texas on Saturday, January 17, 2015. John was born and raised in Birmingham, AL, but spent the past 45 years living in California, Texas and New Mexico. He lived a full and varied life, from growing up as a Catholic schoolboy and serving with the US Marine Corps, to dropping out from society when he felt it didn't represent his values. After living in Mexico and on several communes in the U.S., he ended up in Port Isabel, TX working on a shrimp boat and decided to start living his life according to Jesus' teachings. He became the beloved pastor of The Church of the Resurrection in Port Isabel, TX and later Cloudcroft Christian Center in Cloudcroft, NM. He and his wife Sue also had a prison ministry and would drive around the state of New Mexico each month to conduct services for the prisoners. He was a lover of both fishing and hunting throughout the years and many of his grandchildren find their happiest memories of him are of spending time fishing with him. In the last few years of his life, he returned to both Port Isabel and to Catholicism. He is preceded in death by his parents, John Charles Mikul and Margaret Morrison Mikul; his wife Suzanne Mikul; and his brother, James Mikul. He is survived by five daughters: Heidi Molnar, Helen Mikul, Pamela Miller, Faith Ballesteros, and Angela Hatch; one son, John Charles Mikul III; one sister, Anna Lou Laguaite; one brother, Leonard Mikul; 17 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Thomae-Garza Funeral Home in San Benito, Texas. Funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 23, 2015 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Brownsville, Texas. Interment will take place at James Canyon Cemetery in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. You may sign the online guestbook and send words of comfort, flowers, or sympathy cards to the family of John C. Mikul, Jr. at: www.thomaegarza.com. Funeral arrangements entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, Texas, (956) 399-1331.