Baltazar “BJ” Cardenas

Baltazar “BJ” Cardenas passed away Tuesday, November 26, 2019. The family will host a praise and worship celebration on Thursday at 6:00 pm followed by a reception at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. We will celebrate his life of 90 years at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 29, 2019, at Emmanuel Worship Center. Friends are invited to share memories and expressions of sympathy for the family to cherish in the space provided below. Baltazar was born on January 6, 1929, to Joaquin and Felipa Cardenas in Montemorelos, Mexico. Baltazar married Elvia Salas Cardenas on September 27, 1952, in Linares, Mexico. He immigrated to the United States with his wife and two children in April of 1955. He came seeking a better life. He worked in the fields, even traveling to the North from McAllen, Texas to Northern Illinois and Indiana to the labor camps and return to South Texas during the harvest season. Later he worked at the Texas Compress in Seagraves, Texas, for almost 20 years. He then moved to Colorado with his family and worked at The Northern Feed and Bean Plant and harvesting onions, cucumbers, potatoes, weeded sugar beets, and peanuts. After that, he opened several restaurants in North Glenn, CO, Loop, Plains, Lamesa, and Denver City, Texas. Baltazar gave his life to Jesus Christ on November 20, 1966. He and his children began the La Familia Cardenas Ministries, singing and preaching through several states. They traveled to California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and even as far as North Carolina. He dedicated his life to bringing lives to the Lord, and he did that even until his death bed. He loved his family, and he desired that his family, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would continue serving the Lord and spreading the Gospel. He prayed for each of them every day and even counseled them in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.Survivors include his six daughters, Norma Cardenas Cedillo and husband, Diego; Martha Guerra, Rosa Rodriguez, Elsa, and Roberto Diaz; Cecilia and Vidal Sanchez; Patricia and Domingo Lopez; and Gabey and Kennith Sanchez; three sons, Francisco and Karin Cardenas; Julio and Viki Cardenas; Miguel and Denise Cardenas; twenty-eight grandchildren; and twenty-four great-grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parents, Joaquin and Felipa Cardenas; wife, Elvia Gloria Cardenas; son, Baltazar Cardenas, Jr.; and son-in-law, Jose Luis Guerra.