Gustavo “Gus” Oropeza Casas, esteemed audiologist, fun loving friend, and proud member of the Brownwood community, passed away on December 30, 2023.
Funeral services to celebrate Gus’ remarkable life and honor his memory will be held at Heartland Funeral Home on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 2:00 PM. Friends, family, and members of the community are invited to join together in paying tribute to this exceptional individual and offering support to his loved ones during this difficult time.
Gus’ journey was one filled with purpose and commitment. He was born on May 15, 1938, in Mexico City, Mexico. At the tender age of 17, Gus enlisted in the U.S. military where he would serve in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Air Force Reserves branches for nearly four decades. Military service and patriotic duty colored his life for many years and nurtured his love of planes and appreciation for order.
Outside of serving his country, Gus pursued his college education at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. It was there that he earned a Master’s in Audiology and Speech Pathology, which allowed him to dedicate an impressive nearly 50-year career to those with hearing impairment.
Dedicated to his work, Gus touched the lives of countless patients, from infants to the elderly, offering them the gift of hearing and restoring their ability to connect with the world around them. His dedication was well-recognized within the medical community, and he was respected as an authority in audiology. According to Texas Academy of Audiology, at the age of 85 years old, Gus was the oldest practicing audiologist in Texas.
Outside of his professional life, Gus was an avid reader and enjoyed catching up on Jeopardy, trading stories and enjoying a drink of his “special” bottle of Dewar’s scotch with friends at the local Chili’s.
Gus was preceded in death by his beloved spouse, Anne Casas and her son, Bobbie
Yarbrough. He leaves behind his sister, Rosaura “Rosie” Barrera, Gustavo Casas III, Blair Gradel, Blake Martin; step-children Kelly Yarbrough Amos and Michael Yarbrough; nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed, but his memory will forever be cherished.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to DAV for disabled veterans at https://www.dav.org/ways-to-give/
Online condolences can be shared with the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net