Alicia R. Contreras

Alicia “Licha” Contreras age 88, died on June 3, 2017 after a short illness. The oldest of her siblings, she was born to Agripin Rodriguez Sr. and Juanita Rodriguez (Ramirez) on April 14th, 1929 in Falfurrias, Texas. She will be missed; may she rest in peace.

At the age of nine, after losing her mother, Juanita, to a sudden illness, Alicia’s father Agripin, taught her how to make Pan de Campo, also known as camp bread, cowboy bread or Texas bread. It is a simple baking powder bread. Agripin soon taught her how to cook simple home meals and how to make flour tortillas. Licha loved cooking for her father and siblings and later was helping her step mother Julia Rodriguez (Deleon) in the kitchen when Agripin remarried a few years later. Licha’s passion for cooking made her very popular with her mother in law Mama Cuca Contreras when Licha married her husband Noe Contreras and temporarily moved into the Contreras household. There were several of the Contreras boys still living at home and Licha helped her mother in law fill their bellies.

Alicia enjoyed gardening from a very early age. Finely cultivated flower beds were ever present on her property, whether they contained five or fifty plants. As a child Licha taught herself to play guitar and sing, along with some of her siblings. She enjoyed listening to “La Orquesta Rodriguez” which consisted of her grandfather Uvaldo Rodriguez, her father Agripin Rodriguez and all of Agripin’s brothers as they practiced at their home. In her early 70s Alicia purchased a piano accordion for $5 at a yard sale and taught herself that instrument and during her early 80s began learning the violin. Needless to say, Alicia Contreras was born into and was influenced by a family of very skilled musicians. Some back porch musicians and other highly skilled professionals, all descendants of the original members of the Orquesta Rodriguez can still be heard around Texas back porches, garages and dance halls as well. During her early 50s, Licha took to the canvas and became an avid artist at the recommendation of a doctor after she suffered what was possibly a very mild stroke. Additionally, Licha was also a self-taught and resourceful seamstress who made clothes for her children, husband and customers. Her projects included anything from simple cotton everyday children’s cloths to men’s professional dress suits.

Licha is survived by her children Rolando Contreras of Homestead, Florida, Esperanza (Hope) Contreras of Highlands, Colorado and Esmeralda Norma Barrientes of Corpus Christi, Texas; brothers Raul Rodriguez Sr. of Waco, Crespin Rodriguez Sr. of Belton, Agripin “Rod” Rodriguez Jr. of Belton; sisters Gloria “Veve” Garza, of Little River, Julia Martinez of Lubbock, Margret Reyes of Temple and Bernarda Tamez of Belton and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren and other relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by husband Noe G. Contreras; parents Agripin Rodriguez Sr. and Juanita Rodriguez; step mother Julia Rodriguez (Deleon); brothers Jose Rodriguez, Uvaldo Rodriguez, Juan “Johnny” Rodriguez; sister Antonia Gaona.

Pallbearers will be Ramon Villarreal, Eric De La Garza, Angela De La Garza, Michael Garcia Jr., Jose Guadalupe Gonzales and Eusevio Reyes Jr. Honorary pallbearers are Donnie Contreras, Lee Castanon and Agripin “Rod” Rodriguez Jr.

Visitation will be on Thursday, June 8th, 2017 from 5 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a rosary recited at 7 p.m. at Funeraria Del Angel Memorial Holly, 3442 Holly Road, Corpus Christi, Texas 78415. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday June 9th, 2017 at Our Lady of Pilar Catholic Church, 1102 Bloomington Street, Corpus Christi, Texas 78415. Entombment immediately following at Memory Gardens Cemetery, 8200 Old Brownsville Road, Corpus Christi, Texas 78415.