Rosalia "Rose" Longoria

Mission - Rosalia "Rose" Longoria, 83 passed away Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at Mission Regional Medical Center.

Rose married her beloved Manuel ("Meme"/ "Manny") in 1959 in Clovis, New Mexico, and was the loving, supportive, and devoted wife of a husband who adored her. She was married for sixty-three years to a career military man. They lived as a young, newlywed couple in Clovis from 1960 to 1965 while Meme was stationed at Cannon Air Force Base. She bore their three oldest children during that time period, Michael, Margaret and Maxine. In 1963, Rose experienced for the first time the hardship of a husband stationed away from home when Manuel was sent to the Royal Iranian Air Base in Iran.

As is typical with military families, they moved frequently. In 1965 Manuel was stationed at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio. In February of that year, he was sent to Vietnam. Rose remained at home in San Antonio caring for their two young children and a five-month-old baby until Manuel's return at Thanksgiving. Rose fully supported her husband's military career and encouraged him to reenlist. In 1967 Rose and her family moved to Germany when her husband was transferred to Hahn Air Force Base. During that same year Rose remained at home caring for their children when Manuel was sent to Takhli, Thailand for nearly a year. In 1970, the youngest of their children, Maria Sylvia was born. The family then returned to the United States in 1972 when Manuel was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Rose did not work outside the home until her youngest child started school. She worked at the Base Exchange at Lackland Air Force Base for a number of years. Rose was smart and fastidious and quickly became a valuable employee.

In 1977 Rose once again served in the role of mother and father when her husband was sent to U-Tapao, Thailand for nearly a year. Rose and her family then moved to her husband's hometown of Mission, Texas in 1978 when Manuel became an Air Force Recruiter assigned to the Pharr, Texas location. Rose worked at Puryear's Shoes in downtown McAllen and at the Bride Shop for several years. In 1982, she opened Jack and Jill Day Care behind her home in Mission and cared for countless children until 1990. She was known as Mommy Rose to many children in the community who are now in their 30s and 40s. During that same time, she also supported her husband's entrepreneurial interests as he together with his co-owners started up MCM Sporting Goods which continues to serve Mission and the surrounding areas. Rose continued to live in Mission until her death.

She was a woman of faith who raised her children in the church, often offering cherry lifesavers in exchange for good behavior during mass. She treasured her family and was so, so proud of all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her kids and her family were her life. Rose was a scrapper and protected her family fiercely. She was a mama bear through and through. She loved hard and always said "I love you more."

Rose was a great dancer; she danced in her last month of life. She loved spicy food and music ranging from Pepe Aguilar to Luther Vandross. She loved a clean home and a nice yard. Rose was adventurous and spirited. She joked that she would have loved to have been a race car driver and to have learned to drive a big rig. She was a great bowler, loved playing Bingo and the slot machines, and played like it was a competitive sport. She had a quick wit and loved to watch Wheel of Fortune and the Game Show Network. She was Nintendo Grandma.

Rose was an incredibly strong, tough and determined woman and taught her children likewise.

She absolutely adored her husband. Rose was cherished by her family and her absence is felt deeply. The family has faith and is comforted with the knowledge that her absence from her body means she is present with the Lord. There is no greater blessing.

She is preceded in death by her parents Lucia Perea Urban and Pablo Urban; a son in law Alexander Murillo; and four brothers Santiago, Richard, Phil and Herman Martinez.

Rose is survived by her loving and devoted husband Manuel Longoria, Jr.; her daughters and son Michael Raymond (Sharon) Longoria, Margaret (Omar) Bourbois, Maxine (Rusty) Nash and Sylvia Murillo; eight grandchildren Leonna Longoria (John), Anthony (Jennifer) Longoria, Maxine Belicia Longoria (Shane), Amanda (Brad) Stawarz, Kristopher (Jalyn) Bourbois, Andrew (Marian) Longoria Murillo, Alexis Murillo and Corynna Murillo; six great grandchildren Sadie Luna, Gabriel Luna, Diego Longoria, Bowie Stawarz, Nicolas Longoria Murillo and Stevie Rose Stawarz; numerous other relatives.

Visitation will be held Monday, June 13, 2022 at 5:00 pm at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mission with a rosary to be recited at 7:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at 12:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church with burial to follow at Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery.