Maria C. Vásquez was born in Lockhart, Texas, to Josefa Martinez and Miguel Villarreal, Sr., on December 8, 1938. She grew up surrounded by a loving, close-knit family in Lockhart. Maria married her high school sweetheart, Rubeldo Vásquez, in San Antonio, Texas on March 20, 1957.

Maria worked from the age of 14 in various jobs including legal secretary, banking officer, and a supervisor for the Federal Government for Housing and Urban Development. Throughout her career, she remained involved with numerous organizations for the advancement of women and Latinos.

Maria's Familia is her greatest accomplishment. She leaves a legacy of love, unity, and the encouragement to always strive to be better. Her competitive spirit pushed her to excel at everything she set out to do, which included pushing her family to have the same drive for excellence. She modeled an unwavering and unconditional love for ALL of her family. Everyone she touched felt the warmth, support, strength, and sometimes the kick in the butt to do better when needed. Maria was our Wonder Woman, unmatched in strength, intelligence, heart, and beauty inside and out.

Maria is reunited in heaven with the love of her life, Rubeldo, husband of over sixty-two years, her parents, brothers Emilio, Miguel, and Armando Villarreal, and her beloved grandson Gabriel Vásquez.

She is survived by her daughter Rozzana Vásquez Cobos and husband, Joe; son, Dino Vásquez and wife, Margie; and daughter, Naomi Vásquez Chapa and husband Rolando; grandchildren: Angelica "Angel" María Gallegos, Richard Carlson, Robert Vásquez, Anthony Gallegos, Rolando Chapa, Jr., Alejandra Chapa, Rozzalynda Vásquez, and Estela Chapa; great-grandchildren: Ezekiel Vásquez, Elijah Vásquez, Michael Carlson, Annabelle Carlson, and Karisma Vásquez; sister, Thelma Villarreal; brother, Rogelio Villarreal and a host of extended family.

Visitation will be held on October 23, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. until 6 p.m.and the Rosary will be held at 6:00 p.m., both at the J.E. Keever Mortuary Chapel of Ennis.

Liturgy outside of Mass will be held on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at the J.E. Keever Chapel.

Interment will follow at the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Ennis.

Should friends desire, the family has designated the Vanishing White Matter (VWM) Families Foundation (vwmff.org) for memorial contributions.

Submitted by family