Moyna
CW4 Patrick Loyola Moyna, U.S. Army, Ret.
March 10, 1939 ~ June 29, 2021
Patrick L. Moyna, age 82, of Copperas Cove, passed away on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM, Thursday, July 8, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 1001 Georgetown Road, Copperas Cove, TX. Visitation will be held at 5:30 PM, Wednesday, July 7, with a Rosary following at 6:30 PM at Viss Family Funeral Home, 1614 S. FM 116 in Copperas Cove.
Pat was born on March 10, 1939, in Elberta, MI, to the late Michael Earl and Margaret Fern O’Leary Moyna. The baby of the family of nine children, he was affectionately known by his older siblings as “The Kid.” Growing up, Pat loved to tag along with his dad as he completed his rounds as the rural postal carrier in Elberta and the surrounding countryside. He graduated from Frankfort (MI) High School in 1957. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, in 1962. In 1963, Pat joined the United States Army and served for 27 years, rising to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) and serving in a number of posts around the world, including during the Gulf War/Operation Desert Storm. After retiring from the military in 1991, Pat kept busy by earning a master’s degree in Management Science at the University of Central Texas and working for the Copperas Cove Independent School District for several years. He also stayed connected with long-time friends from his childhood and military service, traveled to Michigan as often as he could, and pursued his love of writing and family history, even contributing some editorials to the local newspaper in Benzie County, MI.
While studying at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, CA, he met Rosie Riso, and they married on September 12, 1964, on their third date. Together, they raised three children, and Pat instilled in them an appreciation for his Michigan birthplace, Irish heritage, and interest in family history and genealogy.
Pat was preceded in death by his parents Earl and Fern; brothers Michael, William, Gene, and James; and sisters Earlene, Madelyn, and Joyce.
Pat is survived by his wife of 56 years, Rosie Moyna; daughters, Aiessa Moyna and Candace Moyna; son, Michael Moyna; sister, Margaret De Meza; granddaughter, Courtney Moyna; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Texas Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (https://texaspva.org/donate/) is suggested.
Condolences may be left at www.VissFamilyFuneralHome.com.