Isabel U. "Isa" Izaguirre

1943 - 2021

Rapid City, SD - It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother and loving wife, Isabel "Isa" U. Izaguirre, into the loving arms of Our Heavenly Father. She died peacefully with her family surrounding her on July 3rd, after a courageous battle with Cancer. She was born in Pharr, Texas, on November 11th, 1943. She lived most of her life in the Rio Grande Valley and later retiring in Rapid City, SD. She is survived by her loving husband, Eulogio "Yoyo" Izaguirre, and her four children, Alma (Mark) Williams, Edward (Theresa) Zuniga, Alexi (Donna) Zuniga, and Sonya (Kevin Coleman) Garza, her two sisters Janie U. Duarte, Pat Urrea, as well as numerous grandchildren (15), great-grandchildren (15), and nieces and nephews who are too numerous to list individually.

Our mother "Isa" lived an extraordinary life, was remembered for always serving her community, helping so many people throughout her lifetime, but most of all, a beautiful, loving mother. She raised her four kids as a single parent while also going to school. She worked full-time in the evenings to be there for her children during the daytime and school activities. As kids, we remember our mother at girl/boy scouts, baseball games, school band, plays, recitals, even making many of our school clothes. She would save for months to give us the best Christmas and family vacations. Everything she could to ensure her children had a wonderful and memorable childhood.

Of course, there were also many difficult, painful, and trying times as with any single parent, yet she always faced these challenges with sheer determination, perseverance, and never giving up. She was our strength, our hero, and inspired us to do the same in our adult lives.

Isa would ultimately graduate from Pan American University School of Nursing in Edinburg, Texas, with honors, as a Registered Nurse. She dedicated 42 years of her life as a Registered Nurse in numerous fields, including Head ER Nurse, a Traveling Nurse, and a School Nurse. Isa retired from Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, and became the School Nurse for Edinburg Independent School District. She considered this to be the highlight of her career, as she adored her many students and taking care of them. As a School Nurse, Isa would be nationally recognized for certifying each student in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Five of them would later rescue members of their own families using their newly acquired CPR lessons.

Family was everything to Isa, especially all her grand, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. They brought her immense joy, and they, too, adored their Gramma and Aunt Isa very much. She was very involved in all their lives and cherished their many calls, especially when needing words of encouragement, wisdom, and advice on life's many lessons. "Gramma Isa, and Tia" was, without a doubt, the much-loved matriarch of her adoring family. She also loved her two sisters dearly, as they were very close and a cherished part of her life. She'd also been blessed with beautiful forever friends, her besties from as far back as grade school. And it was during a visit to her hometown of Pharr, Texas, where she would encounter the love of her life, her former high school sweetheart and future husband, Eulogio "Yoyo." They would fall in love again, marry, and go on to spend many wonderful loving years together.

Isa was also adventurous and loved traveling with Yoyo. She especially loved her many visits to her family in Paradise, California, and San Antonia, Texas. Their visits were the yearly highlight of long-awaited parties with family and friends as mom was famous for her fantastic Mexican cooking and her fun, charismatic, joyful presence. She also loved learning new crafts, jewelry making, needlework, crocheting, gardening with her grandkids, and of course, her fantastic cooking. Her homemade tortillas were the best! She had even started a little cake business on the side, "Isa's Cakes," which became a local favorite for weddings and parties. Her customers loved how beautifully decorated and incredibly delicious her cakes were. Her pastries were the talk of the town, and of course, made with mom's coveted secret recipes.

When she could no longer walk due to her illness, she grew to love nature even more and spent much of her time in her favorite chair while draped in her little tortilla blanket, adoring all the sweet little creatures that visited her porch throughout the day. She even went as far as naming every adorable critter. Rumpy and Rusty, the squirrels, and her favorite little bird, "Romeo," to name a few. But above all, Isa had a huge compassionate heart, loved helping people, and would go on to save countless lives throughout her lifetime and nursing career. Many of which would become lifelong friends.

In her final days, she often spoke of how blessed she'd been in life, especially for her adoring family, devoted husband, and for the many beautiful friends and loved ones she'd been blessed with throughout her lifetime. She'd lived a wonderful life and felt she'd been blessed beyond measure, so blessed indeed. Despite losing her courageous painful battle to this terrible disease, through it all, she never lost her witty sense of humor or her positive attitude. She even made sure her beloved husband would have a new pet once she was gone, an ass named "Barney the donkey," to remember her by. We ask that you please keep Yoyo in your prayers. His loss is immense, and he is beyond heartbroken in losing his beautiful wife and the love of his life. Cancer is cruel, and despite having already beaten cancer years prior, the horrible disease would sadly return and claim another precious life, our beloved Isa, our beautiful mother, and leave a trail of broken hearts in its wake. To our mom in heaven, until we meet again, goodbye mommy; we will miss you terribly; we love you forever and always.

Isa's family would like to express their tremendous gratitude to all her friends and loved ones for their love and support, and especially to all the doctors, nurses, and caretakers who held her up throughout her journey and took such excellent care of her. Thank you with all our hearts.

A memorial will be held for Gramma Isa in Paradise, CA, in October. Please donate in place of cards and flowers in Isa's name (Isabel U. Izaguirre) to any organization dedicated to the fight against Cancer or helps those battling this painful disease.

All our love and God bless.