RANCHO VIEJO, TX. – Sergio Ramon Argüelles Gutierrez, distinguished entrepreneur, visionary, and philanthropist, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, the 23rd of April 2022 in the comfort of his residence in Rancho Viejo, Texas surrounded by his wife and his loving family. He was eighty-four years of age.
Mr. Argüelles was born on March 4, 1938 in Matamoros, México, son of the late Armando Nicanor Argüelles and Emilia Gutierrez. He studied at St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville, Texas and obtained his engineering degree in agriculture from Universidad La Narro in Saltillo, Coahuila.
Sergio married the love of his life Magda on the 18th of October 1958 and together they started their family. He deeply enjoyed time with his friends and family. Some of his favorite hobbies included golfing, eating well, traveling to see the Bullfights in Sevilla, Spain, attending the US Open Tennis Championships with his grandchildren, and watching the beautiful sunsets at South Padre Island.
Sergio was an entrepreneur since a very young age, beginning with a farming and seed processing plant. He pursued his business career, owning several distributorships which included Volkswagen México and Semillas Master de México, one of Mexico’s largest seed processing plants. As an industrial developer, he later founded FINSA in Matamoros, México in 1977, which is now one of the leading industrial Real Estate Development firms in Mexico and manages one of the largest portfolios in Latin America.
Don Sergio spent a great deal of his life promoting the Matamoros, Brownsville and South Padre Island area which he deeply loved and enjoyed. He was a firm believer that this area was a wonderful place to live, to raise a family, and had a great economic future. He worked very hard to make this a reality. He frequently said, “We live in a paradise”. Sergio also owned and operated Rancho Viejo Resort and Country Club in Rancho Viejo, Texas.
Sergio was always very generous towards educational scholarships and founded Fundación FINSA, a foundation which awards numerous scholarships towards educational advancements. Along with his wife Magda, they were past-presidents of Colegio San Juan del Siglo XXI, an institution dedicated to classical music education. Sergio was also the past-president of AMPIP, Mexican Association of Private Industrial Parks and most recently served on the Board of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - School of Business and Board of Volkswagen México.
Preceding Sergio in death were his parents, Armando Nicanor Argüelles and Emilia Argüelles Gutierrez; his brothers, Armando Argüelles and Oscar Argüelles; and his parents-in-law, Manuel Gonzalez Payan and his wife Eva Rascón. He was also preceded in death by his son, Sergio Manuel Argüelles Gonzalez.
Survivors include his loving and devoted wife of sixty-three years, Magda G. de Argüelles; his children Gigi Argüelles, Sergio Rene Argüelles (Patricia Montemayor), Adriana Argüelles (Tony McDermid), Marcela Argüelles (Marion Lawler III), and Liliana Argüelles (Jorge De La Garza); in addition to his thirteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at five o’clock in the afternoon tomorrow, Monday, the 25th of April 2022 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1914 Barnard Road, Brownsville. The family will gather for a private entombment at Buena Vista Burial Park Mausoleum in Brownsville at a later date.
In lieu of floral arrangements and customary remembrances, donations in his name may be sent to St. Joseph’s Academy, 101 St Joseph Drive, Brownsville, Texas 78520, www.sja.us or to Guadalupe Regional Middle School, 1214 Lincoln Street, Brownsville, Texas 78521, www.guadalupeprep.org.
Memories of Mr. Argüelles may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.
Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.