Dr. Raul Enrique Varela, 77, of Lake Charles passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 in Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Raul Varela dutifully served the Lake Charles community for more than 40 years as a Doctor of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine. He spent his professional career improving the quality of life for many in Southwest Louisiana.

Throughout his practice, and as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Varela dedicated his career to not only healing but also continuing education, teaching and research allowing better care for his patients, as well as those of generations of new young doctors. 

Raul was a proud native of Panama and loved sharing stories and showing photographs of his home country. He was known as a humble man, with a passion for music and dancing, love for hosting gatherings of good times with family and friends and a great joy of the time shared traveling the world with his soul mate, Maria Carmen.

He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather to a family who adored him.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Maria Del Carmen Varela of Lake Charles; two sons, Raul Varela and wife Trish of Dallas, Texas, Enrique Varela and wife Sandy of Austin, Texas, daughter, Isabel Varela of N.Y.; five beautiful granddaughters, Ava and Elli Varela and Lola, Lily and Louisa Varela; three sisters, Rita Trottman of Cypress, Texas, Gloria Northrop of Atlanta, Ga. and Lilliana Varela of Panama.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raul Enrique Varela and Hermelinda Lao, both of Panama.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Lake Charles, La. under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Monsignor Jace Eskind will officiate. Interment services will follow at Consolata Cemetery. A gathering of family and friends Saturday will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with a rosary and a tribute from his son to begin at 12 p.m. in the church.

Livestream will be available beginning at 12 p.m. with rosary and will continue until the dismissal of Mass. Go to St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church Lake Charles Facebookpage and like to attend.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at st.jude.org.

Words of comfort to the family may be expressed at www.johnsonfuneralhome.net.