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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
|name=Simon Hinojosa Vega
|name=Simon Hinojosa Vega
(Texas educator who promoted the music of Elvis Presley)
|image=Simon Vega of TX.jpg
|image=Simon Vega of TX.jpg
| birth_date=October 8, 1935
| birth_date=October 8, 1935
| birth_place=Los Fresnos, Cameron County, [[Texas]], USA
| birth_place=Los Fresnos, Cameron County, [[Texas]], USA
| death_date=May 12, 2017 (aged 81)<br>
| death_date=May 12, 2017 (aged 81)<br>
|death_place=Los Fresnos, Texas<br>
|death_place=Los Fresnos, Texas<br>
Rene Elvis Vega<br>
Rene Elvis Vega<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
Pablo and Estefana Hinojosa Vega
Pablo and Estefana Hinojosa Vega
| branch=[[United States Army]] (3rd Division)<br>
| branch=[[United States Army]] (3rd Division)<br>
(Stationed in [[Germany]] during the [[Cold War]])
(Stationed in [[Germany]] during the [[Cold War]])
|service years=1958-1960}}
|service years=1958-1960}}
'''Simon inojosa Vega''' (October 8, 1935 – May 12, 2017) was a high school [[educator]] who became a friend of [[singer]] [[Elvis Presley]] while the two served together from 1958 to 1960 in the [[United States Army]] in the former [[Germany|West Germany]] In 1993, Vega turned his house into a museum called "Little Graceland" located in his native Los Fresno in Cameron County north of [[Brownsville]], [[Texas]]. Little Graceland is loosely patterned on Presley's former mansion, Graceland, in [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]].<ref>{{cite web|author=John Kelso|year=2006 |title=Texas Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff |edition=3rd |publisher=Globe Pequot |isbn=978-0-7627-4109-0 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/texascuriosities0000kels/page/255 255–256] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/texascuriosities0000kels/page/255 }}</ref>
'''Simon Hinojosa Vega''' (October 8, 1935 – May 12, 2017) was a high school [[educator]] who became a friend of [[singer]] [[Elvis Presley]] while the two served together from 1958 to 1960 in the [[United States Army]] in the former [[Germany|West Germany]] In 1993, Vega turned his house into a museum called "Little Graceland" located in his native Los Fresno in Cameron County north of [[Brownsville]], [[Texas]]. Little Graceland is loosely patterned on Presley's former mansion, Graceland, in [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]].<ref>{{cite web|author=John Kelso|year=2006 |title=Texas Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff |edition=3rd |publisher=Globe Pequot |isbn=978-0-7627-4109-0 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/texascuriosities0000kels/page/255 255–256] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/texascuriosities0000kels/page/255 }}</ref>
Vega, who was also a barber and instructor of driver's education, was one of three childrceased, Jose Isabel Vega of Los Fresnos. He and his wife, the former Teresa Lopez, named a son, Rene Elvis Vega, after Presley. They also had a daughter, Rosalva Vega Mezouar.<ref name=losfrnews>Remembering the Man Who Remembered the King – Los Fresnos News, May 26, 2017, accessed April 17, 2021.</ref>
Vega, who was also a barber and instructor of driver's education, was one of three children of Jose Isabel Vega of Los Fresnos. He and his wife, the former Teresa Lopez, named a son, Rene Elvis Vega, after Presley. They also had a daughter, Rosalva Vega Mezouar.<ref name=losfrnews>Remembering the Man Who Remembered the King – Los Fresnos News, May 26, 2017, accessed April 17, 2021.</ref>
In 1978, a year after Presley's early death, Vega composed a song, "The Ballad of Elvis Presley." He produced three thousand copies. Little Graceland is a home converted into a shrine to the man dubbed "The King" of rock and roll music. The museum contains many pictures of Presley, some with Vega, which the museum owner considered among his most prized possessions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show08.htm|title=Texas Country Reporter 2008 Episode Guide: Weekend of June 14th 2008|last=Phillips|first=Bob|website=Texas County Reporter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204201002/http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show08.htm|archive-date=February 4, 2010|url-status=}}</ref>
In 1978, a year after Presley's early death, Vega composed a song, "The Ballad of Elvis Presley." He produced three thousand copies. Little Graceland is a home converted into a shrine to the man dubbed "The King" of rock and roll music. The museum contains many pictures of Presley, some with Vega, which the museum owner considered among his most prized possessions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show08.htm|title=Texas Country Reporter 2008 Episode Guide: Weekend of June 14th 2008|last=Phillips|first=Bob|website=Texas County Reporter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204201002/http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show08.htm|archive-date=February 4, 2010|url-status=}}</ref>
Vega considered Presley the unequaled entertainer of the 20th century who exuded [[charisma]] through his records and personal appearances. He said, "Once you got to know him, Elvis was a really good guy, but he was never an ordinary guy. Elvis liked to see people happy. That's part of why he sang and entertained the people." Despite heart and hip problems, Vega hosted some fifty visitors to his museum each week.<ref name=":0" />
Vega considered Presley the unequaled entertainer of the 20th century who exuded [[charisma]] through his records and personal appearances. He said, "Once you got to know him, Elvis was a really good guy, but he was never an ordinary guy. Elvis liked to see people happy. That's part of why he sang and entertained the people." Despite heart and hip problems, Vega hosted some fifty visitors to his museum each week.<ref name=":0" />
Simon Vega died on May 12, 2017. and was interred three days later at Los Cuates Cemetery in Los Fresnos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thomaegarza.com/tribute/details/1951/Simon-Vega/obituary.html#tribute-start|title=Obituary of Simon Vega|publisher=Thomae-Garza Funeral Home|accessdate=May 17, 2017}}</ref>
Simon Vega is interred at Los Cuates Cemetery in Los Fresnos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomaegarza.com/tribute/details/1951/Simon-Vega/obituary.html#tribute-start|title=Obituary of Simon Vega|publisher=Thomae-Garza Funeral Home|accessdate=May 17, 2017}}</ref>