Maria Guadalupe Petra Sendejo-Torres

Maria Guadalupe Petra Sendejo-Torres, age 87 years of age, passed away on Monday, January 2, 2006 in an Alice hospital.Survivors include three sons, Hector (Elva) Torres of Alice, Texas, Carlos (Clorie) Torres of Houston, Texas, and Ismael Alvaro "I A" (Vanessa) Balboa of Alice, Texas; one daughter, Virginia "Virgie" (Johnny) Balboa of Alice, Texas; two granddaughters, Audrey Balboa and Loretta Selena Torres both of Alice, Texas; one grandson, Hector Andres Torres of Alice, Texas; and three great grandsons, Andy, Marc, and AJ.Born to Teodora Z. Sendejo and Virginia Rodriguez Sendejo on August 21, 1919 along with her twin brother Pedro R. Sendejo. She was born in Mendieta (Bess), Texas. She attended elementary school in San Diego, where the Civic Center now stands. Due to her strong will and mischevious ways, she attended the Catholic School of Hebbronville, Texas from the ages of 11-13. La Cuata graduated from San Diego High School in 1937. She went on to college in Kingsville, Texas. While attending college, she held a job at the Vogue shope in Alice, Texas, where she worked for Ms. Ingram. She kept the books for the shop and helped in sales also. Cuata taught school for over 20 years in rural schools such as La Parrita, La Sejita, Fienditas, La Chona, Ramirez, La Cepita, etc. She also worked for the San Diego Independent School District for over 20 years. She worked for the Follow Through Program as a parent coordinator. Follow Through was a bilingual program that helped low income families in the San Diego area. Later, she worked as a library aid until her retirement in 1995.Cuata helped her mother, Virginia, look after and provide guidance for her older brother Serapio's children, Xavier Rodolfo Sendejo, Carlos Jaime Sendejo and Rosa Veronica (Mimi) Sendejo-Matlock while Serapio served in the United States Navy. Later Cuata married Loreto Salinas Torres of La Parrita and had three children, Hector Martin (Elva) Torres, Yolanda Virginia Torres (Johnny Balboa) and Carlos Alvaro (Clorinda Morin) Torres. Due to the fact that her marriage lasted just a few years, she served as both mother and father to her children and what a great job she did in raising them all on her own. All three graduated from San Diego High School and went on to college. Hector Martin attended Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Yolanda Virginia attended Texas A&I in Kingsville and graduated with a teaching degree, and Carlos Alvaro attended the University of Texas in Austin. In 1961, Cuata's twin brother, Pedro R. Sendejo was killed and again she stepped in to help raise and guide Cuate's family. She often served the family in different capacities such as matriarch, daughter, mother, aunt, counselor, etc. She has always managed to bring and keep the family together. When she spoke everyone listened and did what they were told.Throughout her life, Cuata was a strong willed and determined lady. Before she married, she often did a man's work such as crossing students on horseback when flooding occurred during her years as a teacher out in the rural communities. She often had to arrive early and start the wood burning stoves for heat during the winter months. Cuata did ranch work such as feeding ranch animals, burning pear, hauling bales, mending fences and repairing windmills. after having been married and having her children, Cauta often worked politics, served as presiding judge in different elections, drove family members and others to the doctor or other appointments just to earn money to provide for her children and nieces and nephews as well as her elderly mother. She often did without to make sure that the rest of her family was well provided for.Throughout her life, Cuata was a fighter and a trooper. She suffered a stroke in 1996. She was determined to overcome that obstacle that life had put in her way and she did. On Labor Day of 2003, she fell and broke her upper left leg. Once again she was determined to jump another of life's hurdles. In May 2005, Cuata suffered another setback when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. She continued to fight for her life. On Labor Day of 2005 she suffered a gall bladder attack and had to have it removed. Once again she continued her fight to live. She also suffered congestive heart failure due to the Parkinson's, but that still did not keep her down.The Family will be receiving friends and relatives Thursday, January 5, 2006 at Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home of Alice at 2:00 p.m. till 5:30 p.m. The body will lay in state at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church from 6:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m., the time of the Rosary Service. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m., Friday, January 6, 2006 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Burial will follow at the San Diego Cemetery.