RAMON ENRIQUE NORNIELLA

I’m not sure that there is a tribute that can do Ramon justice. For 20 years he was a mentor, a friend and in the hardest of times, he was like a father. He had an amazing ability to see the best in someone and nurture those strengths. He was a cheerleader, a man of wise council, he loved deeply and if he loved you, he would stop at nothing to make sure you were taken care of. In the most somber of moments, he was shoulder to cry on…in the happiest moments, he was your biggest cheerleader…in the moments when you needed council, he was a just advisor. He made the world a better place for those around him – he filled our lives with laughter and ridiculous Cuban phrases that we rarely could interpret. He loved disco music and made many futile attempts to teach us to dance like Donna Summer (it always ended up being a tragedy of epic proportions)…he laughed often and loved hard…our world was better and brighter because of him. His presence here will never be forgotten and the lives he touched, will forever be a testament to the man that he was and the legacy that he leaves behind.

Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch ~ Judy Blume

Stephanie Totten

I had the pleasure of meeting Ramon several years ago when he invited me into his home to share Thanksgiving dinner with his family. I must say, that I liked him and enjoyed his company from day one. He made me feel incredibly comfortable and relaxed in his home, with his family. I was grateful that Thanksgiving became an annual tradition, along with many trips to his home on Lake Kiowa north of Dallas, where all of us would spend the day in the sun, floating in the lake, listening to music and sharing stories of what mattered to us. I recognized right away that Ramon was a strong family person, an exceptional father, and a talented businessman. I am extremely grateful for the time I was able to spend with him. I am also quite certain that all the admirable traits he possessed will live on through the very special children that he raised. Thanks Ramon - we will all miss you tremendously.

Bob Mantle
(Brent's father in law)