On Sunday January 31, 2020, Mario Tobias Fernan, loving husband, father, and grandfather, finished his race on earth and entered into the eternal rest and presence of His Lord.
Mario was born on June 6, 1954 in Manila, Philippines to Julio and Apolonia Tobias Fernan. He grew up in the Philippines where he received his Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering. Mario’s work as a civil engineer led him to Saudi Arabia, where he met his beloved wife in 1987. Mario and Eufemia were married on September 23, 1989. They lived in New York, where they had two daughters, Samantha Valdez Meave and Nicole Valdez Roche’. The family moved to Longview, Texas in 2001, where they served their Lord and grew their family together.
Mario enjoyed bowling and watching sports. He rooted for the Yankees and loved to hate the Knicks. He was a diligent Sales Associate of Sam’s Club for over twenty seven years. He enjoyed eating good food, driving his car faster than he should have, and making his friends and family laugh with corny jokes.
Mario was saved and baptized during Easter of 1999. He loved his Emmanuel Baptist Church family, of which he was a member for twenty years. He had a passion to reach others with the Gospel; taking trips to the Philippines to reach his family for the Lord, leading teams to Dallas’ inner city with the Gospel, and faithfully reaching those in his own community with the Gospel message.
Mario cared for and treasured the family that the Lord entrusted him with. He was preceded in death by his father, Julio, and brother, Fernando Fernan. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife, Eufemia V. Fernan; two daughter’s Samantha Meave (Juan Meave) and Nicole Roche’ (Jacob Roche’); mother, Apolonia; brothers, Antonio, Noel, and Rogel; sisters, Christina, and Maria Liza; and many other cousins and in-laws who loved him dearly. Mario also leaves behind three grandchildren, whom he loved with all his heart: JJ Meave, Evie Meave, and Elaina Grace Roche’
The family will receive friends for a time of visitation on Thursday, February 4, 2021 in the Garden Court of Welch Funeral Home from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.A Life Celebration funeral service will be held Friday, February 5, 2021 at Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview with Pastor Bob Gray, II officiating.