Micaela Valdez Juarez

Micaela was born on May 8, 1924 in San Antonio de las Alasanas, Mexico.She was the second of thirteen children born to Anastacio Valdez and Abundia Padilla.The family migrated to South Texas when she was still an infant.At age 22, Micaela married Inosencio Juarez in Edinburg, Texas on February 2, 1947.They settled in Dallas and together raised eight children.On December 2, 1976, the family lost the oldest son, Jesse, aged 24.Then, shortly beforethe couple's35th Anniversary, Micaela's husband died on January 12, 1982. As one of the oldest children, Micaela helped her parents rear her younger siblings.Micaela completed a third grade education but left school to help the family with a business of farming and ranching.In this role, Micaela was her father's right-hand arm handling the financial records and business accounts.Later, as a wife and homemaker, Micaela enjoyed gardening, quilting, crocheting and cooking.Together with her husband, she recognized the value of education and both parents felt richly blessed at seeing all eight of their children graduate from high school. Micaela was a deeply spiritual and devout Catholic.She was a parishioner of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Dallas for nearly 50 years.Micaela has been described as one of the pioneers of St. Augustine and along with her family assisted the pastor with an outreach ministry to the Hispanic community. Micaela was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and by example taught endless lessons in faith, love, and endurance.Her life was marked by joyous involvement in religious and family activity, including numerous reunions since 1980 on the Valdez homestead where she was raised. Including her children, Micaela is survived by an extended family that will treasure her memory and continue a legacy centered on family tradition and Christian faith. CHILDREN Maria del Rosario Juarez, Susana and Ernesto Garza, Maria Alicia and Jesse Hernandez, Maria Elena Juarez, James & Maria R. Juarez , Maria San Juanita (Janie) and Juan Lopez, and Amelia and Guadalupe Rodriguez. GRANDCHILDREN Elizabeth Garza & George Montoya , Ernesto (Garza) & Brenda Zepeda, Elva Denise Garza, Andrea Vanessa Alonzo Stogner, Monica Ivette Alonzo, Jared Rey Hernandez, Aurora Michelle Alonzo, and Jacob Rey Hernandez GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN Crystal Victoria Montoya, Valerie Ann Montoya, Patricia Marie Montoya, Christian Anthony Perez, Marcus Gabriel Gallardo, and Victoria Micaela Zepeda She is also survived by four sisters, three brothers, 47 nieces and nephews, their children and grandchildren. Come after me; I will make you fishers of men.Mark 1:17