Victor James Cortez III

victor cortez iii

April 27, 1982 ~ January 28, 2018

Born in: Tucson, AZ
Resided in: Sugar Hill, GA

Victor James Cortez, III of Sugar Hill, Georgia, a detective with the Gwinnett County Police Department, passed away after a battle with cancer on Sunday, January 28, 2018 at the age of 35. Victor was born April 27, 1982 in Tucson, Arizona. In 2003, he enlisted in the Army. After successfully completing One Station Unit Training (OSUT), Airborne School and the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP), he was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah. He deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism before an honorable discharge in 2006. Victor was a Detective with the Gwinnett County Gang Unit and served with Gwinnett County Police Department from 2014 until his death. Surviving are his spouse, Jessica, daughter, Mackenzie, and son, Lucas, all of Sugar Hill; parents Estela and Victor Cortez, Jr. of Bayview, Texas; brother Gilbert Cortez of Spring, Texas; sister Victoria (Kenneth) Carrison of Port Orchard, Washington; grandmother Susana Cortez of Brownsville, Texas; mother-in-law Elena Altamirano of Davie, Florida; and brother-in-law Carlos Altamirano of Charlotte, North Carolina; as well as aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. He was preceded in death by grandfather Victor Cortez, Sr., grandfather Vicente Anguiano; and cousin Sgt. Edward Anguiano, U.S. Army, who was KIA in Iraq and inspired Victor to enlist in the military. A memorial service will take place at 2:00 p.m. Friday, February 2, 2018 at Wages & Sons, 1031 Lawrenceville Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30046. Full military honors will be provided by the United States Army and full police honors will be provided by his brothers and sisters in blue of the Gwinnett County Police Department. The family will receive visitors on Thursday, February 1, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Wages & Sons. The family is requesting casual dress for all services. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made in his memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

View current weather.

Memories Timeline

Guestbook

  1. Revelation 21:4
    And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

  2. No words can describe how sorry I am for your loss. Praying God will give you peace to comfort you during the days ahead and Loving Memories Forever! ????❤️????

  3. My heartfelt sorrow for all the family is going through now. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. I work with Gilberto Cortez at Baker Hughes.

  4. Dorsella Reynolds
    “My deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers are for you and your family, Jessica. Just remember, there is a song that says, God will take care of you for He is our great Shepherd!”

  5. I am so very sorry you are having to go thru this heartache. I did not know VJ but I know Gil, and if VJ was anything like his brother, then I know for sure without any doubt he was a good man. The days ahead will be long and hard, but with the Lords love you Will make it thru this difficult time. I too lost my brother to cancer. He was only 26. We never understand why, All we can do is trust God. Keep your faith strong in the Lord and He will guide and help you thru this. I truly am sorry for your loss.

  6. Isaiah 60:20 ERV reads,
    “Your sun will never go down again. Your moon will never again be dark. That’s because the Lord will be your light forever, and the dark days of mourning will end.
    We will continue to pray for the family.

  7. Our sincere condolences to all of you. Our thoughts and prayers and with you at this difficult time. May God give you strength and peace. Love and hugs from uncle Fernando and aunt Hilda Cortez

  8. Our deepest condolences to the Cortez family during this rough time. Your family is in our prayers.

  9. Please receive my deepest heartfelt condolences on the loss of VJ – husband, father, brother and son. I pray that God our Father will wrap his loving arms around all of you during this difficult time. Lifting you up in prayer.

  10. I feel that anything I can say will be futile at this time. When I heard of VJ’s death, I was so shocked that I could not believe it. My sympathy goes to Victor, Stella , Gilbert and Victoria from the bottom of my heart.

    Tweety
    Tucson Arizona

  11. Jessica, I can’t express how deeply sorry I am that you are having to endure this pain. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I love you!

  12. My Deepest Condolences to all the Cortez Family. I will continue to pray for his soul may he rest in peace. Love you all, Aunt Janie

  13. To the Cortez Family. Our deepest sympathies in this hour of grief. We pray that God will help you find the strength to overcome this.
    Fred Villarreal & Family

  14. May the good Lord grant you, your family, and friends the hope and peace during these difficult times with the loss of your son. We pray that he is resting peacefully at the right hand of God. May God bless Victor in heaven and all of you!
    Irma & Ernie Ortiz, Retired DEA Agent

  15. Dear Victor and Estella,
    Veronica and I send you our deepest sympathy over the loss of your son Victor. We remember him fondly.
    Like his father he too served his country in the most honorable manner. Few of us can say we have truly placed
    ourselves in harms way in service to our country. Victor did. Please rest assured that Victor’s too soon shortened life was spent in a more heroic and caring manner then most of us dream about over a long lifetime. We will keep his wife Jessica and children Mackenzie and Lucas in our prayers.

  16. Jessica,
    So sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your precious family.

    David and Connie Pittman

  17. My heart breaks for you all in Victor’s passing. I am so very sorry for the loss of you husband/father/son/brother & friend. While I never got to meet Victor I got to know him through many stories. I pray for peace and comfort for all of you at this difficult time and for all the days ahead.

  18. Victor and Estela,
    Jo and I find it very difficult to express what we are feeling about you and your family at this unbelievably time in your lives. It is particularly poignant for us who visited with you here in our home recently. I know how proud you are of VJ and what he meant to you and. We are proud and honored to have known him in La Paz. We thank him for the dedicated service to his country both in the Army and as a Police Officer. Words cannot express what we feel for you at this time. Please let us know when you return home to Bayview, We will be down to visit you. We are proud and honored to have know him and all your family.

  19. Victor and Estela,
    Jo and I find it very difficult to express what we are feeling about you and your family at this unbelievably time in your lives. It is particularly poignant for us who visited with you here in our home recently. I know how proud you are of VJ and what he meant to you and. We are proud and honored to have known him in La Paz. We thank him for the dedicated service to his country both in the Army and as a Police Officer. Words cannot express what we feel for you at this time. Please let us know when you return home to Bayview, we will be down to visit.

  20. Dear Jessica, please accept our deepest sympathy on the loss of your husband Victor. May the great memories he left behind be of comfort to you, the kids and the rest of the family.
    Jorge & Elsie Herrera, Cooper City, Florida
    (Patricia & Jeannina’s aunt & uncle)

  21. Our deepest condolences to you and your family Jessica. We are hoping that your most Cherished Memories carry you and the kids through this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers will continue for you and your family. Keep the faith

  22. Victor, Estella and family We are so so sorry to hear about your loss. Our deepest condolences. Hoping that our prayers give you strength.

  23. Victor I first met your son, Victor 111, beaucoup years ago on a Friday night when we served together at the FBI Academy. You had stopped off with Victor on your way to Chuck e Cheese. I am sure Victor that your son, like you, was imbued with the virtues of integrity, skill and enterprise, courage and perseverance. As a Ranger Victor stood above his brother-in-arms and with his presence was the rally point in many a battle in America’s war on terror.
    The clock of time is wound but once and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop at late or early hour but when a man like your son Victor believes in a great cause and believes in it so fully he is prepared to defend it with his life, he has achieved nobility not limited by the boundaries of time.
    Victor, Trish and I love you.
    Semper Fi
    Frank White

  24. Jessica, I am so sorry for your loss. May God strengthen you and your children to live prosperous lives. Continue your family’s legacy and know God is near. Jeremiah 29:11

  25. Estella & Victor Our most sincere condolences to all the Cortez family . Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

    God Bless,
    Rudy & Miros

  26. Sorry to hear about this devastating loss I know it’s very difficult losing someone you Love so much acts 24:15 helps us to appreciate that soon there will be a ressurection and we will be reunited with our loved ones again my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family

  27. CandleImageDear Vic & Stella
    We just learned of VJ’s passing and we pray for all of you. Heaven has received another angel. We fondly remember VJ from our time with your family at Embassy La Paz (1990-1992) he was a sweet loving boy. God grant you peace.
    Alan & Pamela Sheely
    (U.S. Dept of State, Retired)


Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle

  1. CandleImage
  2. CandleImage
  3. CandleImage
  4. CandleImage
  5. CandleImage
  6. CandleImage
  7. CandleImage
  8. CandleImage