Maureen Theresa Vale

Maureen Theresa Vale of San Antonio, Texas, passed away after a brief illness on November 5, 2025. Maureen was born the fourth and youngest child of Theresa Vale and the late Senator Robert Vale.

Maureen began her life as a christened Roman Catholic baby, with the late St. Representative Matt Garcia and the late Mrs. Minnie Garcia as her baptism godparents. Maureen celebrated her sacraments of First Holy Communion, Reconciliation, and Confirmation at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in participation with their Catechism CCD Program. Maureen is remembered as an inquisitive young child and vivacious blue-eyed teenager, a successful public school student, a loving daughter, sibling, mother, cousin, aunt, and friend.

She attended Northside ISD public schools from Kindergarten through 12th grade, graduating from Oliver Wendell Holmes High School in the top tier of her 1989 senior class. As a young girl, Maureen spent many summers with her mother and siblings in Liverpool, England, taking her first trans-Atlantic trip at only 2 months old. Maureen was a natural athlete, and swam competitively since she was 5 years old, starting with summer league swim teams and continuing in high school as a member of both the Holmes High School Swimming and Water Polo Teams. In academics, Maureen excelled in Liberal Arts: English, Creative Writing, American and English Literature, and American History. She earned Ivy League admittance to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and studied there her first two years as an undergraduate student, before returning home to San Antonio to be with her parents after her father was diagnosed with brain cancer in December 1991. As the youngest child, Maureen enjoyed a close, affectionate relationship with both her mother and father, helping care for her father at home in the final months of his life. His tragic passing in 1992 was a sad time for her. Maureen often reminisced about many of their special times together, i.e. watching Mutual of Omaha’s WILD KINGDOM and helping her father prepare his signature homemade huevos rancheros with bacon. 

After her father’s passing, Maureen moved to Austin to expand her state employment career, living first in South Austin and eventually buying a home in Spicewood, Texas, and becoming a daily commuter to the Austin Capitol Complex. She enjoyed a successful 32-year career working in supervisory and manager positions for different Texas state agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, Health and Human Resources, Comptroller of Public Accounts, and Office of Court Administration. In April 2025, Maureen celebrated her state retirement and embraced her love of reading, growing succulents and cacti, shopping at area flea markets, spending time with her daughter, following national politics, and indulging her foodie addiction to Indian samosas and Henry’s Puffy Picadillo Tacos. 

Without parallel, Maureen’s greatest lifetime achievement was being a mother to her only child, Emily Theresa Carnes. Emily’s birth and life brought Maureen the pinnacle of joyfulness to her world. Mother and daughter enjoyed a close, loving relationship, and Emily’s presence made life shine brighter and every milestone feel more meaningful simply by being a mother.

Maureen’s family remains deeply grateful for outpouring of support from family and friends. Her mother and siblings are especially grateful to Ms. Patricia Villareal, Mrs. Vale’s niece and Maureen’s cousin, for the steadfast care, loving support and legal guidance she has always generously provided to the entire Vale family. Maureen was blessed with loving childhood memories and cherished relationships from time spent as a young girl in the homes of her mother’s comadres and close friends during her father’s demanding political career. The Vale Family extends love and gratefulness to Mrs. Oralia Elizondo, Mrs. Joyce Coleman, the late Mrs. Yolanda Torres, the late Mrs. Maria Galán, and to Maureen’s cherished maternal aunts, the late Mrs. Stella Villarreal and the late Mrs. Ann Bielefeld. These special women all offered Maureen tender care, loving kitchen table conversations, and maternal nurturing when she was a young girl. Special recognition is extended with deep affection to her maternal cousin, Dawn Bielefeld, R.N., who opened her San Antonio home to Maureen when she returned during Covid. Dawn played a very special role in Maureen’s life for many years and their relationship as cousins was beautiful and blessed.

Maureen is preceded in death by her father, the late-Senator R.L. ‘Bob’ Vale in 1992, in addition to many beloved aunts and uncles and all four grandparents. Maureen is survived by her daughter, Emily Theresa Carnes; her mother, Theresa Finnegan Vale; her two sisters, Kathleen Vale and Shelagh Vale; and her brother, Michael Vale. Maureen also leaves behind aunts and uncles and many Vale and Finnegan cousins, nieces, and nephews, one treasured grand-niece in Northern California, her beloved cat, OCHO, and pampered dog, POPPET, her constant four-legged companions. 

The Vale family recognizes Maureen’s Pallbearers who stepped forward to honor Maureen: Brother, Michael Vale; Cousins, Gavin Villareal, Philip Bielefeld, and Tony Garza Vale; Nephew, Joseph Vale O’Hara; and Lifelong Family Friend, Dr. Joseph Elizondo. We are forever grateful. 

Maureen departed this earth far too young, and her absence is grieved by all who knew her. May she fly high with the angels who accompanied her to heaven, protecting her ‘Wing Tip to Wing Tip’ on the journey from this earth. The entire extended family from San Antonio, Texas to Liverpool, England takes comfort knowing Maureen is joyfully reunited with her father on holy ground. Together by each other’s side, they now enjoy an eternal peace that surpasses all others. Maureen will remain deeply cherished, her laughter, generosity of spirit, and memory blazing alive in our hearts forever.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

The family will receive friends from 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7:00pm

The Angelus Funeral Home Chapel

1119 N. St. Mary’s St.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00am

St. Luke Catholic Church, 4603 Manitou Dr.

  Private Graveside Services will be held privately for family only.

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