Maria Elena Hernandez Zapata, 87, of San Angelo, Texas, passed away on Monday, October 28, 2024. She blessed this Earth as a daughter, sister, wife, tia, mother, grandmother, great- grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and friend.
She was born on November 10, 1936, in Progreso, Coahuila, Mexico, to Vicente Hernandez and Fransisca Perez.
Maria married her beloved Andres R. Zapata on February 16, 1952, in Acuña, Mexico. They were married 61 years and had three children. She was fiercely loyal to her husband and a nurturing and caring mother.
She found success as a homemaker and housekeeper and worked on the base for more than a decade. She was able to supplement her family’s income by selling her famous tamales. Maria worked hard and studied to become an American citizen in 1985. With a husband who served in the U.S. Army and a son who served in the U.S. Marines, she was a proud supporter of our armed forces.
Maria was a devoted mother and a key supporter of her children’s success. She never shied away from giving them the advice to always do the right thing, even when they didn’t want to hear it. She helped raise her five grandchildren, who always knew their “wela” was there if they needed her. She would take her youngest granddaughter by the hand, walking down the street and across the South Bryant Street bridge to the nearby elementary school in the barrio. She knew very little English, and the teachers knew very little Spanish, but the language barrier didn’t stop her from communicating to ensure her granddaughter learned and received the education she never had the opportunity to pursue.
Maria was a proud member of River City Baptist Church and her unwavering faith was a guiding light in her life. She was a joyful believer in Jesus Christ and did not fear death, knowing Heaven was waiting for her. She showed the love that Christ would want us to share with one another.
Some people may have called it gossip, but she preferred to think of it as being well-informed. She was known to travel the neighborhood on foot, passing information from friend’s house to friend’s house. They would sip some cafecito and eat pan dulce until it started to get dark or until her husband called, whichever came first.
Maria loved finding beautiful dresses and jewelry to wear to church. She was known for her bright-red lipstick and painted nails. She cherished family traditions like making buñuelos or preparing a big Thanksgiving feast. She always made sure to have her grapes and black-eyed peas to welcome the new year. After retiring, you could find Andres and her cruising around in their single-cab Nissan truck (she was in charge of making sure the coast was clear on her side) and searching for places to pick pecans, finding a good garage sale, or dining at their favorite restaurants like Dun-Bar. They would stop by her sister’s house or check on their grandchildren. She enjoyed taking trips with her son and shopping with her daughter at target.
Maria touched the hearts of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. Her joyful spirit and generous heart will be deeply missed, but her legacy of love and laughter will forever live on through her family and friends.
Maria is preceded in death by her twin brother, Jose Hernandez; her infant son, Jose Zapata; her husband, Andres R. Zapata; and her daughter, Norma Zapata Cadena. She leaves behind her son, Andres H. Zapata, and Kathy Hernandez; her sisters, Socorro Siller, Leonora Jimenez, and Mariana Siller; her grandchildren, Maximiano and Cherrie Cadena, Rudy Cadena Jr., Jennifer and David Cedillo, Jayson and Clairissa Zapata, and Adriana Cadena; as well as 12 great-grandchildren, 10 great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Honorary pallbearers will be Andres H. Zapata, Max Cadena, Jayson Zapata, Rudy Cadena, Marco Carrasco, Easton Zapata, Kipton Zapata, and Brandon Cedillo. A visitation will be held on Friday, November 1, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 8 pm at Johnson’s Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 10:00 am at Johnson's Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens.
Salmos 23:1-4: "JEHOVÁ es mi pastor; nada me faltará. En lugares de delicados pastos me hará yacer: Junto a aguas de reposo me pastoreará. Confortará mi alma; Guiará mis pasos por sendas de justicia por amor de su nombre. Aunque ande en valle de sombra de muerte, no temeré mal alguno; porque tú estarás conmigo: Tu vara y tu cayado me infundirán aliento. Aderezarás mesa delante de mí, en presencia de mis angustiadores: Ungiste mi cabeza con aceite; mi copa está rebosando. Ciertamente el bien y la miserico todos los días de mi vida; y en la casa de Jehová moraré por largos días."
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