Maria Magdalena Molina Morales

Maria Magdalena Molina Morales passed away peacefully on October 30, 2025, after battling Vascular Dementia for over 2 years. Maria’s life can best be encapsulated by the following words: God, love, music, family, and fun! In her 75 years with us, she inspired joy and love.

Maria was born on June 7, 1950, in San Antonio, TX. From a very young age she enjoyed music, and it grew to be a lifelong passion. In high school, she was in the concert and marching bands, where she played the clarinet and oboe, was a member of the Future Teachers of America, the Business Club, and Limelighters- the high school theatre club. She attended Texas A & I- Kingsville, then transferred to the University Texas at Austin to study Music, and later, the University of Houston-Downtown, where she enrolled at the College of Business. Maria believed that education was one of the best things anyone could do for themselves and considered herself a lifelong learner.

In 1978, she met the love of her life, Rev. Luis Heriberto Morales. They soon began courting through an epistolary fashion, and they were married on July 25, 1981, after Luis graduated from the CLADIC Seminary in Los Angeles, California. They welcomed their only child, Ana Luisa in June of 1982. Maria and Luis were together for 47 years, and in that time, they moved to locations where Luis would be assigned a new church. Maria loved being a pastor’s wife and always considered it her most important role. She was the pianist at every church where Luis was the pastor. She loved God with all her heart and soul, and spread the gospel whenever, and wherever she could.

Maria was also an Insurance Agent/Actuary for American National and became one of their Top Agents in Texas for consecutive years in the 1980s, winning prizes and trips on a regular basis. Once she felt she had reached her goals in that field, she went on to another goal of becoming an Educator. She worked for the Houston and Galveston Independent School Districts. As an Educator, she received many awards, with her students always excelling in their state examinations. She was an avid volunteer and always gave back to her community by arranging Back to School supply fairs for the children of her community at the start of every academic year. In addition, she mentored young women who were held at the Galveston County Juvenile Detention Center. Teaching was her last career when she had to retire due to a massive stroke in 2008. She taught for over 25 years as a Pre-K, 2nd grade ESL and Art/Music teacher.

She was preceded in death by her mother- Anita Moreno Molina, her father- Rev. Benito B. Molina, and her brother- Rev. Jacob Molina. She is survived by her loving husband of 44 years- Rev. Luis H. Morales, her daughter and son-in-law- Ana & James Neubaum, her brother- Rev. Saul Molina, numerous extended family members, and her faithful feline companion of over 13 years, Camilla.

To honour her fight against dementia, donations may be made to the Sigma Kappa Foundation’s Alzheimer’s disease research fund: https://give.sigmakappa.org/CSiDonate/Give.aspx/MTBDAJIC#c

Checks may be mailed to: Sigma Kappa Foundation, 695 Pro-Med Lane, Suite 300, Carmel, IN 46032. Please write “In memory of Maria Molina Morales” in the memo line