Marcelia Reyes

1933 - 2023

San Anotnio - Marcelia Reyes, 89 was born at the Refugio Ranch in Starr County, Texas on October 7, 1933. Her paternal grandmother Natividad Osuna brought her into the world "le dio luz" as she was the community midwife (partera). She was raised by Francisca and Jose Maria Chapa who were gentle, humble, hardworking and faithful people who cherished their children, were generous community members and they left a legacy of love for generations to come. Marcela, called "Chela" by her family and friends later changed her name to Marcelia to differentiate it from what she thought was a masculine name due to being named after her grandfather Marcelo. For the first 12 years of her life she grew up in a small mud walled, dirt floor home before the family moved to a house that her father built in "La Puerta" outside of Rio Grande City. She attended Rio Grande City High School at Fort Ringgold where she excelled academically and socially. She attended College at Pan American College and received her BA degree in Early Childhood Education. In 1959 she married Ruben Ismael Reyes and soon after two children followed. Reuben in 1960 and Rose born in 1961. Marcelia taught kindergarten and 1st grade for the Edinburg Independent School District for over 20 years and was a dedicated and loving teacher who was adored by her students. As a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter and sister she was an angel on earth giving unconditional love, encouragement, a listening ear, and always emulating a deep felt love and joy for her family's collective pursuits and accomplishments. She hosted birthday parties with the best carrot cakes, was a cub scout den mother, carpool driver, opened her home to a wild and endless flow of coaches, football players, friends, cheerleaders, all with ease and grace and a smile on her face. While Juggling a full time teaching job and raising school age children, she received her Masters Degree from Pan American University in 1974 and became a licensed Diagnostician working across the school district . In her retirement she traveled all over Mexico, Spain, Italy, and all parts of the US. She loved having her family together during summer trips to South Padre Island and visiting her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren in Austin. Marcelia and her husband Ruben moved to San Antonio, Texas in 2019 and lived there until her death on March 24, 2023. She is survived by her children Rose Marie Reyes (Adam) and Reuben Reyes (Lesya), grandchildren Noel Marie Bridges (Will) , Jeffrey Samuel and Carmen Sophia Stricklen. Claire Elizabeth Gonzalez (Nathaniel), Nicholas Anthony Hart, and great grandchildren Rocky Gonzales and Marcela Noel Bridges. She was preceded in death by her parents Jose Maria and Francisca Chapa and her siblings Trine Chapa, Blas Chapa, Jose Chapa, and Maria De Jesus Bazan.

A public visitation will be held Wednesday March 29, 2023 at Funeraria Del Angel - Mission (3611 N. Taylor Rd Mission, TX 78572) from 11:00 am - 1:30pm followed by a eulogy from 1:30 - 2:00pm, a chapel service to begin at 2:00pm followed by interment at Valley Memorial Gardens at 3:00pm.