The family of Gavin Ryan Escamilla is still in disbelief that we have lost our son, our brother, our grandson, our nephew, our friend. Born on May 17, 1996, Gavin was taken far too soon on December 27, 2024 at 28 years old.

Gavin had style; from his meticulous shoe collection to his hair lovingly washed with argon oil. He could often be found in his Astros hat as he was an avid Houston sports fan. Despite those carefully crafted looks, he was willing to trade the ball cap for a goofy fur hat with his brother Kyle when they visited their grandparents in Washington State.

Easy-going and always happy to tag along, you could count on Gavin to bring his sweet nature on a journey. While his life began and ended in Houston, Texas, his adventurous spirit took him to the Pacific Northwest, California, Louisiana, Florida, Canada, Turkey, Germany, Poland and El Salvador. Not one to brag, if you could get Gavin talking he had great stories to share. He had ridden a horse on the beach with his dad, Lee; gold mined in the freezing river with his grandpa, Dave; and most recently searched out alligators with his cousins and mom, Brandy, on Avery Island. As exciting as his trips abroad, his work with Fedex in Houston also gave him some wild stories to tell.

Gavin shared a unique sense of humor with his brother Kyle. They both enjoyed anime and music, and Gavin was always quick to help out with car trouble or anything else. His sister Ashley remembers that he  would text her every morning, run all her big runs with her, and helped her with her fantasy football picks.

His kindness also extended to the youngest members of the family. Long after the adults grew tired of childish games, Gavin would be there picking up the toy his baby cousin dropped for the 100th time, decorating sugar cookies with the kids, or even putting on a Spider-Man suit to chaperone trick-or-treating. Animals seemed to recognize his gentle nature and he was a friend to all pets.
"You can judge a man's true character by the way he treats his fellow animals." ― Paul McCartney

Gavin was a beloved member of our family and community. We will always cherish the memories we have of him, though we wish he had longer to lead more of his own stories. Gavin is survived by his mother and step-dad, Brandy and Robert Dean, father, Lee Escamilla, brother and future sister-in-law, Kyle Escamilla and Monica Salinas, sister and brother-in-law, Ashley and Michael Peloquin, nephews and niece Landon, Kaden, and Kyleigh, grandparents David Ball and cheryl mendenhall, Carole DeRush, Jessie Mae and Luis Escamilla (Luis preceded in death), Uncle Ronnie Escamilla, Aunt and Uncle Erin and Ian Porter, cousins Matilda, Leopold, Wolfgang and his much loved dog Kiwi / GusGus.

Rest in peace, dear Gavin. You will be forever missed but never forgotten. Until we meet again.