Julio Rios Centeno

Julio Rios Centeno

"Poppy" Busdriver #8

Julio R. Centeno, 66, of West Reading, passed away on Monday, August 11, 2014 in the Reading Hospital and Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico on July 2, 1948, he was a son of the late Alejandro Rios Velazquez and Paula Centeno Maldonado. Julio was the widower of the late Angela A. Rodriguez.

Julio is survived by his loving wife, Lois J. (Oberholtzer) Moyer and his son, Douglas Centeno. He has guardianship of three grandchildren, Christian, Daniel and Bella Moyer.

Julio was a welder by profession working at Eastern Machine for many years. Julio retired from driving a school bus for the Wyomissing School District. He loved driving BUS #8 and all the children he drove back and forth to school and knew most of them by name. He was a West Reading fixture and everyone waved to "Poppy" as he sat on his front porch.

"Poppy" was a wonderful, kind and generous person. He was a loving brother, father, grandfather and he loved and cared for all his many children, family and children on his beloved Bus #8. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.

Julio is survived by five sisters, Christina Vega, Isabel Rios, Sonia Rios, Sara Paris and Lucia Paris; four brothers, Jesus Rios, Eliezer Rios, Manuel Rios and Juan Ramos Paris; four daughters, Rose, Adria, Emma and Misty; five grandchildren, Cory, Chris, Steve, Justin and Zachary; seven great-grandchildren; 23 nephews and 10 nieces.

He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Reading.

Services will Saturday at 2 p.m. in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Ave., West Reading, PA 19611. Burial will in Alsace Cemetery. Friends may call Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to; St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.