Obituary - Ramon Celestino Oceguera Jr.

Ramon Celestino Oceguera Jr., a proud Native American, dedicated medical professional, and United States military veteran, passed away peacefully at his home in Carson City, Nevada, on September 13, 2026, at the age of 77.

Born in Schurz, Nevada, on December 24, 1948, to Margaret Hogan Stefenoni and Ramon Oceguera Sr., he grew up in a handful of rural, small Nevada towns and graduated from Gabbs High. In 1977, Mr. Oceguera earned an associate degree in science from Central Arizona College. 

Drafted during the Vietnam Conflict, Mr. Oceguera served with distinction as a corpsman in the U.S. Navy. After two combat tours of duty, driven by a profound call to service, he reenlisted and was stationed at Naval Air Station Fallon. 

Following his military service, he utilized his lifesaving emergency medical experience to transition into a career as a physician assistant for the Indian Health Service. Throughout his medical career, he provided clinical care to his own tribe, the Walker River Paiute Nation, as well as the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Nation, and he managed the infirmary at the historical Stewart Indian Boarding School until its closure in 1980.

A monumental milestone in his life came in 2016, when Mr. Oceguera was selected as one of 43 participants in the first-ever all-Native American Honor Flight. Boarding Battle Born Nevada One at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, he traveled with fellow American Indian veterans to Washington, D.C., over Veterans Day weekend. The camaraderie, shared history, and compassion he experienced while visiting the National Museum of the American Indian, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial were deeply transformative.

The public celebrations of the Honor Flight — particularly the emotional, ceremonial return to Reno — helped heal the invisible wounds and unexpressed grief he carried from the traumas of war, specifically, the responsibilities and psychological burdens of a combat medical specialist. The overwhelming pride and excitement of his wife, mother, sisters, and niece during his Honor Flight homecoming provided the dignified, hero's welcome that he and millions of Vietnam veterans had been denied decades prior.

In his retirement, Mr. Oceguera found peace in life's simpler pleasures. He enjoyed taking long drives through the Nevada landscape, tending to his garden, attending powwows, and caring for his feline friends, begrudgingly but meticulously.

He was preceded in death by his devoted wife of 20 years, Theresa Darlene Oceguera, who passed away just seven months ago. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Julian Wayne Oceguera, and nephews Dean Edward Banks and Kevin Earl Banks.

He leaves behind a large family, including seven sisters and numerous nieces and nephews.

A private graveside service will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Walker River Paiute Tribe Cemetery in Schurz, Nevada