A Heartfelt Goodbye to a Co-worker/Friend
In the sun-kissed shores of Port Isabel, Texas, where the Gulf whispers secrets to the horizon, my very first hello belonged to Robert. It was my inaugural visit to this enchanting coastal gem, and as I wandered in my whimsical electric blue hat and flowing garb—like a character stepped straight from a storybook—I spotted a majestic pirate ship slicing through the waves in the distance. My curiosity burned brighter than the Texas sun, but the town felt like a beautiful stranger, full of quiet wonders I’d explored from afar without uttering a word to a soul.
Then, there was Robert. With his warm smile and easy laugh, he became my instant anchor. We chatted for a glorious ten minutes about that legendary ship, the salty breezes, and the magic of Pirates Landing. He was a gentle soul—caring and kind, with a humor that danced like fireflies at dusk and a politeness that wrapped around you like a favorite blanket. In those fleeting moments, he didn’t just welcome me; he made the whole world feel like home.
Robert wasn’t just the first face I met—he was the perfect ambassador for Port Isabel, painting its spirit with stories and kindness that lingered in my heart.
As I turned to leave that day, buoyed by his encouragement, I mustered the courage to apply for a job aboard that very pirate ship. To my utter delight, I got it. Little did I know, Robert’s light had already set my sails toward two unforgettable years of adventure, laughter, and belonging.
Tragically, two years later, Robert left us, his vibrant spirit ascending to brighter horizons. I couldn’t bring myself to attend the funeral or burial—not out of distance, but because the memories I longed to cradle close were the ones bursting with life: his twinkling eyes during our hellos and goodbyes at work, the way we’d team up at the convention center just last year, sharing quiet jokes amid the bustle. He was always a beacon of professionalism and unwavering kindness, treating every person as if they were the most important story in the world.
Robert didn’t just touch lives; he mended hearts, one genuine conversation at a time. He will be missed beyond words—his absence a gentle ache, his presence an eternal warmth. And in quiet moments like these, I find solace in this truth: Heaven is filled with good people, for we need them in our daily lives, knowing they are there—watching over us, cheering our every step, and reminding us that people like Robert’s never truly fade. Rest easy, dear friend. You’ve left us a legacy of joy that sails on forever. With all my love and endless gratitude. ~Calypso
He is survived by his loving wife, Luisa Moore; his cherished son, Alex Moore; and his siblings: Richard E. Moore Jr. and wife Vanja Moore, Ronnie Moore and wife Lori Moore, Paul Martinez Jr. and wife Janie Martinez, Ray Martinez, and Rolando Martinez.
“And above all these put-on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Bear with each other and forgive one another… as the Lord has forgiven you.”
— Colossians 3:13-14
You may sign the online guestbook, light a remembrance candle, or send words of comfort to the family of Robert Milton Moore at www.thomaegarza.com.
Charles Champion born in Point Isabel.
At 12:00 PM every day, you can hear the bells.
CHAMPION, CHARLES (1870–1926). Charles Champion, merchant and Port Isabel developer, son of Joseph Bronson Champion (also shown as Guiseppe Campioni on some genealogy listings), an Italian immigrant, and Marcela (Garcia) Champion, was born on February 9, 1870, in Point Isabel (later known as Port Isabel), Texas, where his father and uncles were the town’s early settlers. He was one of eleven children, though one child died at a young age. Both parents died relatively young, which left the older brothers to care for their younger siblings. Brothers John and Charles clerked for a time in the Point Isabel store of Christian Hess.
John Champion acquired a half interest in the store by 1887. In 1894, when Charles returned from Hidalgo County, where he had served as district clerk, he bought the frame building store from his brother and renamed it “The Champion Store.” Charles Champion married Margarita Orive on March 19, 1897. They had six children. In 1899 he built an impressive two-story brick building that he called “The Key of the Gulf.” Its first floor had many uses over time, including a variety of merchandising, use as a U. S. customs house, and, for the year 1901, a U. S. post office, with Champion appointed as the town’s second postmaster. The building also housed the town’s first telephone. The Champion family lived on the second floor.
When the railroad came to the area in the early 1900s, Champion was instrumental in creating the area’s fishing industry. Not only did he employ a number of people, but he also shipped products to cities in North Texas. Judge James B. Wells, Jr., purchased, in 1886, a one-half interest in the Santa Isabel land grant, which contained Point Isabel.
Charles Champion purchased the remaining half in 1904 for $17,500 from E. K. Butler, president of the International Harvester Company of Chicago. Although the Champions led the Cameron County Republican opposition to the Democrats, Charles Champion joined Democratic party leader Wells as developer of the town of Point Isabel. Long a supporter of a deepwater port in Point Isabel, Champion died before its completion in 1933.
Charles Champion, at age fifty-six, died of cancer in San Antonio on May 3, 1926. He was buried in Port Isabel City Cemetery. In his will he donated the city cemetery to the Roman Catholic Church with the stipulation that the residents of the town could be buried in it without charge. A Texas Historical Commission marker, located at 317 E. Railroad Street in Port Isabel, was erected in honor of Charles Champion in 1996. In the twenty-first century, the Champion store building serves as the Port Isabel Historical
Museum and is renowned for its Gulf fish paintings on its facade.
From TSHA’s Handbook of Texas
~The term “Champion Cemetery” refers to the Port Isabel Cemetery, which is located at the corner of Houston and Musina Streets in Port Isabel, TX. The cemetery is historically linked to the Champion family, who were later owners of the land and donated it to the Catholic Church in 1926.
The oldest marked graves date to the 1800’s. It began burial ground in the 1840s.
REPOSE P. TAMAYO
SERENITY
FALLECIÓ
NOV 10 1917
BELOVED FATHER OF
H. MARCO ALBERT
Y CHILDREN
E. P. D.
Notes: “SERENITY” is prominently carved at the top, below the angel relief, possibly as a thematic header (e.g., “In Serenity” or a dedication motif).
“REPOSE P. TAMAYO” likely means “In Repose [to] P. Tamayo” or “R.I.P. [for] P. Tamayo” (common on bilingual stones; “REPOSE” evokes eternal rest).
“FALLECIÓ NOV 10 1917” is Spanish for “Died November 10, 1917.” This seems to be the death date; no birth date is visible.
“BELOVED FATHER OF H. MARCO ALBERT Y CHILDREN” translates to “Beloved Father of H. Marco Albert and Children” (“Y” means “and” in Spanish).
“E. P. D.” at the base is a common Spanish abbreviation for “En Paz Descanse” (May He Rest in Peace), similar to R.I.P.
Location: Corner of Houston Street and Musina Street, Port Isabel, TX. The SouthWind Inn is the hotel/Inn that is located next to it. Family members from out of town, stay there for its proximity next to the cemetery.
History: The land was originally part of a Mexican government land grant in 1829. It began as a burial ground for workers on the ranch around the 1840s. The Champion family, who immigrated from Italy, later owned the land and donated the cemetery property to the Catholic Church in 1926.
Designation: The Texas Historical Commission (THC) designated the cemetery a state historical site in 1990.
Significance: The cemetery is an important element of Port Isabel’s cultural history and reflects the area’s shrimping heritage, with many grave markers featuring symbols like anchors and shrimp boats.
Historical Charles Champions Building Port Isabel, Texas
317 E. Railroad Ave. Next to Port Isabel Cultural/Event center.
2 Blocks before Queen Isabella Causeway on south side of Hwy100.
The son of Joseph Champion, an Italian immigrant who settled in Texas in 1855, Charles Champion was born on February 2, 1870, in Old Point Isabel. He served as district clerk in Hidalgo County before purchasing the Hess General Merchandise Store in Old Point Isabel in 1894.
He renamed it “The Champion Store,” and continued to operate the business in the small frame structure. In 1899, Champion erected this two-story brick building and named it “The Key of the Gulf.” The first floor housed the general merchandise store, the U.S. Customs House, and the post office. Champion served as the second postmaster of Point Isabel.
The Photo below looks like a wedding.
In the early 1900s, Champion provided the impetus for the fishing industry that employed many local citizens and became an integral part of the local economy. By 1908 Champion and Judge J.B. Wells owned the Santa Isabela land grant, which included Point Isabel.
Long a proponent of a deep water port in Point Isabel, Champion died in 1926 before its completion in 1933. Champion was buried next to his wife Margaret Orive and other family members in the Point Isabel Cemetery.
(1996)
Desecration of a cemetery
No flags on the graves by the City for Veterans day. The weed whackers break stones, mementos and destroy. Tell your cemetery director “It must stop”! E mail VICTOR …PWDIRECTOR@CUPITX.com
The City of Port Isabel is responsible for the general care and maintenance of the Port Isabel Cemetery, a duty it officially established through city ordinances. This includes tasks like cutting grass, raking, and preserving walls and other infrastructure.
City Responsibility: The city is responsible for the general care and maintenance of the cemetery, which includes cutting grass, raking, and preserving its physical structures.
Ordinance: The city formally established this responsibility through a city ordinance, which also outlines what the city is responsible for and what it is not (such as acts of God, vandalism, or theft).
Historical Context: The ground was originally consecrated as a Catholic cemetery by French Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1849, but it has served as a community burial ground for people of all faiths throughout its history.
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/portisabel/latest/portisabel_tx/0-0-0-2688
READ MORE HERE
The story of the Catholic churches in the community is intriguing. The first Catholic chapel had been erected in 1854. A decade later it was demolished piece by piece by federal soldiers who then used the timbers to construct a military hospital.
The next chapel was constructed in 1869 by Father Parisot. It was destroyed by the hurricane of 1874. He then built a third chapel that was consecrated May 30, 1877. In August 1880 yet another Gulf storm scattered this chapel to the winds. https://myrgv.com/uncategorized/2017/03/12/port-isabel-cameron-countys-oldest-settlement/
Encompassing almost one acre of land, the Port Isabel Cemetery is located on property granted to Don Rafael Garcia by the government of Mexico in 1829. The land was known as the Santa Ysabel Grant, and Garcia soon established a ranch he named El Fronton de Santa Isabel (Saint Elizabeth’s Bluff). Garcia continued to reside at his home in Matamoros, Mexico, and the ranch was operated by hired workers. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=165644
SouthWind Inn, Port Isabel, TX 
Leave a comment