Juanita Salinas Menchaca

Juanita Salinas Menchaca, age 98, died peacefully at her home surrounded by her loved ones on Saturday, February 29, 2020. She was born 12/22/1921 in Santa Maria, Texas to her loving parents, Gumersindo and Adela Duran Salinas. When the family moved to McAllen in 1926 Juanita attended school until her mother’s illness prevented her from continuing her education. In later life, she enrolled in adult education to improve her communication skills especially in English because she wanted to be involved in the PTA and her children’s education. Juanita met the love of her life, Teofilo Menchaca, as they were from the same south McAllen neighborhood and they married in 1942 right before he left for the Army to serve his country. Together they raised six children, Elida “Lily” Hernandez, Teofilo Jr. “Nune” (Susie), Maria Alicia Ponce (Hector+), Socorro “Coya” (Sherry Brice), Arturo (Linda) and Elva M. Cerda (Pablo Jr.) and they were very happily married for 70 years until his death in 2012. Juanita was an excellent mother to her children and provided them home cooked meals daily and was always there to guide them and support them. She was a loving person of great faith in God and the power of daily prayers. She cared for her household with care and raised her children to work hard and be respectful of others. She loved to go shopping, sing, travel, play bingo, read her Bible and care for her family. She took great pleasure in cooking family meals at her home for her children even after they were all adults living away from her home. She was completely and deeply loved by her family and will be greatly missed although happy memories of her long life will sustain and comfort her surviving family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Gumersindo and Adela Salinas, her spouse Teofilo, siblings Carmen S. Ambriz, Maria S. Deleon, Concepcion “Chon” Salinas, Guadalupe “Lupe” Salinas and grandchildren Johnny and Celeste Cerda. Juanita is survived by her children (noted above) and grandchildren: Melissa Lucio, Lora Hernandez, Ruben Menchaca (Mechelle), Victor Menchaca, Hector Andres “Andy” Ponce, Dina Sierra (Robby), Marissa Y. Cantu (Tim), Rocky Menchaca (Carmen), Arturo Menchaca Jr. (Ana) and Christina A. Cerda. Great grandchildren: Derek Hernandez, Louie Lucio, Aaron Lucio, Aidan Menchaca, Alyssa Ponce, Hector A. Ponce Jr., Jada Valdez, Stephan Valdez, Layla Sierra, Sophia Sierra, Joaquin Sierra and Timothy “TJ” Cantu. Family visitation will begin at 9am on Wednesday at Kreidler Funeral Home in McAllen followed by a 10am prayer service and celebration of life. Graveside services will follow at Valley Memorial Gardens. Services will be officiated by Abel Alvarez, Minister of the Harvey Drive Church of Christ in McAllen. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the nurses and staff of Gracia Hospice, to Angelica, her caregiver during her last months of life, to her church family and to all the family and friends who called, offered prayers, sent cards and visited during her illness.

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Juanita Salinas Menchaca

February 29, 2020