Mercedes Herrera Flores

Mercedes Herrera Flores passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family on March 19, 2025. She is preceded in death by her parents Ambrosio E. Herrera and Beatrice V. McNeil and her husband Francisco Flores, father of their living children Cecilia Flores (Rolando Villars), and Juanita Flores (Carlos Ovidio Marroquin). She is survived by five grandchildren — Carmen, Francisco, and Ricardo Villars and Carlos and Marco Marroquin, along with 14 great grandchildren, and her decades long friend and partner Woodrow Sneed. She also leaves behind brothers-in-law Blas, Calixto, Eduardo, Serapio Flores, and sister Blanca Rose, along with their children and the children of her deceased in-laws who adoringly called her Tia. Mercedes was born in New York City but was raised and lived in Washington, DC from her early childhood. She attended Catholic schools in DC then attended American University's School of Public Administration where she majored in Urban Affairs. She began her career in the private sector where she worked for General Electric and Kaiser Industries. Mercedes retired after serving over 40 years in the federal government at several agencies beginning with the CIA. She then moved on to work primarily on social and civil rights programs, i.e., a White House Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish Speaking People, Hispanic housing programs at Housing and Urban Development, improving the status of women at Labor's Women's Bureau, EEO at the Office of Personnel Management, and civil rights policies and programs at the Department of the Interior where she also worked on environmental justice and Indian affairs issues. Throughout her career she held positions that included senior policy advisor, program manager and policy development in civil rights and employment protection laws in the workforce. She was certified for the Senior Executive Service by OPM and received many commendations throughout her career. She was proud of her membership in several organizations including the LULAC, DAV and American Legion Auxiliaries. Mercedes believed strongly in pursuing one's interest, even when it involved taking risks; so, she tried her hands at entrepreneurship. In the 1960's-1970's, she and her husband opened and operated two successful restaurants in the Mt Pleasant corridor in Washington, DC — Pancho's and the Oasis. Mercedes was compassionate and would do anything that she could for family, friends, or anyone in need. She had a heart of gold and was selfless. She believed she had been richly blessed in life and generously shared her gifts with others. Throughout her end-of-life journey she maintained dignity and modeled grace, faith, strong will and determination. She lovingly prepared her family for life without her, offering them her wise counsel and guidance. One of Mercedes' greatest passions was travel. In fact, she would tell her family that she had seen all the places she wanted. She visited almost all states in the USA, the Caribbean by way of sea, El Salvador, Guatemala, many parts of Mexico, Europe — Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta, to name a few, and Asia — Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, Thailand and Turkey. In December 2023 she checked off Ireland…the final destination on her bucket list, by taking a "girls' trip" with her two daughters and granddaughter. Mercedes' faith was the cornerstone of her life. She believed that all her success in life and getting through life's many trials and tribulations was the result of her faith in God. As an only child, she took great pride and joy in family and celebrations, always in complete awe of the love and connection shared. She would often tell her family that she was truly blessed and had lived a full life. She felt she had seen and done all that she wanted and was at peace. Her legacy is the strong family unity and support that she both embraced and imparted to all her family. It was her hope that her family continue all the traditions and family gatherings that were the center of her life.

Relatives and Friends may call at St. Bernadette Church, 72 University Blvd., E., Silver Spring, MD 20901 on Monday, March 24, 2025 from 9 to 10 a.m., where Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Interment Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Washington, DC.