Rosa Estella Leal

Rosa Estela

She is preceded in death by her parents, Manuel Rios and Maria Victoria Contreras, son Fernando Paul Hernandez, granddaughter Kalyssa and great grandson Jaxxton Kross.

She is survived by her son Armando Peter Hernandez and his wife Cynthia; her son Johnny Caña and his wife Lynn; her son Mark Anthony Caña; and her daughter Jessenia Caña; her Grandchildren, Kristopher Peter, Clarissa Belen, Stephanie Nicole, Shawnee Lee, Ariel Epiphany, Luis,Cassandra Stephi, Jonathan Xavier, Kody Hunter, Kayla Elena, Karisia Lydia, and James Virgil; her Great-Grandchildren, Liam, Jace Lane, Jayden Tremon, Lucy Elise, Luke Aston, Theodore Hamilton, Anakin Michael, Jameson Jett, Leia Hope, Asher Michael, Jaceson Alexander, Stella Diane, Luis Kenobi, and Valyssa Serenity. And we would list her siblings and extended family, but the list would be too long.

Rosa was born in Nueva Rosita Coahuila, Mexico in 1949. She was the first born of a dozen siblings. She spent the first decade of her life growing-up on her grandparents’ ranch and then moved to San Antonio with her mother. She later married in 1968 and then in 1988. Rosa was an unbelievable cook and is remembered by the time she spent sharing her love of food. Whether it was feeding all the neighborhood kids with just beans and the best home made tortillas in the world, making enchiladas for school students and her grandchildren, or bringing home left-over school pizzas for us at home, she always had a meal for anyone who needed it. She was an amazing woman of many hidden talents; she herded sheep horseback, whistled louder than humanly possible, and even played softball pregnant. Rosa’s hobbies included making crafts out of anything. She could make you the cutest milk jug swan this side of the Rio Grande. And don’t forget about the toilet paper holder she would knit you to match the mini living room set she made from recycled curtains. And if you were lucky enough to be a grand kid, you got a free pass on the ice cream truck every time you visited.

Rosa Estela was dearly loved and will always be in our hearts. It’s not goodbye but until we meet again.