OBIT – Maria Salinas
MISSION – Maria Estella Guerra Salinas, 91, passed away on Monday, Dec. 24, 2018.
Mrs. Salinas was born on July 20, 1927, in Mission to Pedro and Librada (Castro) Guerra. She was raised in Mission and graduated from Mission High School in 1945.
During her career, she worked at the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo and Mission schools tax offices, Region One Education Service Center, and was the La Joya I.S.D. business manager. She then went on to work for the Texas Rehabilitation Commission where she retired after 15 years of employment.
Active in the Mission community, she served as election judge and clerk for many years. She was a member of the Asociacion Guadalupaña, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court St. Rose of Lima No. 827, Damas Catolicas and Casa de Coto (Mission Housing Authority).
Mrs. Salinas graduated from Leadership Mission in 1989 and served on its board of officers for 12 years, holding various positions. She served as president from 1992-1994.
She was awarded the Yellow Rose of Texas certification in 1976 by then Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe for her work in the rehabilitation field, was named State Secretary of the Year by the Texas Rehabilitation Secretaries in 1978 and was voted Mission’s Woman of the Year in 1992.
She was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and was certified in pastoral ministries/pastoral care with the Diocese of Brownsville. She was a catalyst for obtaining a historical marker for the church.
According to former Mission City councilwoman Gen Long, Mrs. Salinas was instrumental in helping to create the Mission Historical Museum where she remained a member until her passing.
Survivors include her children, Nilda Paxman of McAllen, Rogelio Salinas of Mission, Cynthia Moreno of Harlingen and Hilario Xavier of McAllen; sisters, Maria Lydia Rodriguez and Elvira Delagarza; and 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her former husband, Manuel Salinas; her parents; and siblings, Porfirio Guerra, Adela Saenz, Cipriano Guerra, Peter Guerra, Eva Castro, Ismael Guerra, Adan Guerra and Jose Guerra.
A funeral mass was held on Dec. 29 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
