( January 15, 1938- October 6, 2020 )
Born January 15, 1938 in Mercedes Texas,
To Parents: Virgina Garcia Rodriguez and Lazarus Rodriguez.
As a child, Maria Consuelo Rodriguez, and her younger sister Jane and brother Merce,
traveled around the United States with their parents who were migrant workers.
Maria, like her older sister Chita,
was very interested in getting a good education. While her sister Chita who is five
years older, stayed behind and went to an all girls Catholic School, Maria went to
many schools depending on where her family found work. She attended public schools
in Utah and Arkansas. Two places that she especially liked. She said that people were
kind to them in those states.
At age 18, Maria enlisted in the US Army.
She served as a Specialist First Class, from 1958-1963. And worked as a dental
assistant.
She recalls her time in the military saying, “I was a naive young girl who didn’t have a
clue.” She said that the ladies she served with were very kind, and took her under
their wing!
After her time in the US Army, Maria returned to Brownsville, Texas, to live with her
older sister Chita, and her sister’s husband Salvador Gudino.
She met her future husband, Joseph M. Capasso from Brooklyn, NY, at a party at her
sister’s house.
Joe was then working for The US Border Patrol.
They married in 1963 and the following year, the newlyweds started a family,
welcoming daughter Frances Josephine.
They moved to New York where their sons Joseph James and William Peter were born.
Joe’s job then took them to El Paso, Texas, to work on the US border with Juarez,
Mexico.
In El Paso, Maria was studying towards getting her degree in library science.
Then in 1969, Joe was accepted to the US Secret Service. So they moved back to New
York.
From there, Joe’s job took the family to San Antonio Texas where Maria earned her
bachelors degree from Our Lady Of The Lake University. Then, Joe’s job took the
family to San Juan,Puerto Rico,Miami,Florida and finally to Houston,Texas.
Maria was unable to get her degree in library science due to all the moving, but was
able to become a bilingual education teacher, working with Kindergarten thru second
grade children, at Scarborough Elementary School within the Houston Independent
School District. She loved her job and her students who were mainly immigrants.
Every Cinco De Mayo, she would choreograph a traditional Mexican Folklore Dance for
her pupils to perform! She said they always remembered their steps!
In 1989 her beloved husband Joe passed away and she fell into a deep depression.
In 2000 Maria’s first grandson Cristian was born and brought new life to Maria and
the Capasso family!
Some of the things that Maria loved: to read, especially murder mystery novels, she
read about ancient Chinese, Greek and Roman history. She loved to learn about
ancient civilizations and different cultures and people. Maria was happiest having
something nice to eat and drink and a good book!
She loved animals, birds, dogs, cats, horses and all wildlife. She loved gardening,
astronomy and traveling. She loved nature and beautiful landscapes. She learned how
to water ski, drive a boat and ride horses.
She dreamed of becoming a ballerina and studied ballet in college. And could dance on
point.
She loved flowers, chocolate, perfume, scarves, cold weather, stew, snow and
Pavarotti. She loved to decorate her house for holidays especially at Christmas. It was
her greatest wish each year, to have all her family together on Christmas Day!
Maria was very kind and sweet and loved the good lord and her family above all!
She believed in the power of prayer.
Her sister Chita who earned her doctorate degree in Psychology was her very best
friend and the person she looked up to most of all in the whole wide world. They
would spend hours together on the phone gabbing, and once took a trip to Mexico
together. They were blessed to have each other!
Maria Consuelo, Rodriguez, Capasso went to be with our Lord, on October 6, 2020 in
Kingwood, Texas. She leaves behind her three siblings, Chita Gudino, Jane Espinoza
and Merce Rodriguez. Her three children, Frances, Joseph, and William Capasso.
Daughters in laws, Marissa Capasso
and Wendy Capasso. Four grandchildren, Cristian Capasso, Vivian Capasso, Carley
Capasso and Joey Capasso. Nieces Mary Jane Ramos, Virginia De La Garza, Veronica
Rodriguez, Sylvia Wilson. Nephews, Merce Rodriguez, Lorenzo Ramos, Javier De La
Garza, Roy De Los Santos Jr, Noe De Los Santos, Salvador De Los Santos.
Great Nieces Lauren Ramos, Cristiana Ramos, Yvonne Ramos. Great Nephews,
Andrew Ramos, Javier De La Garza Jr, Jesus De La Garza
Great,Great Nieces, Aryabella Ramos, Luna Ramos, Valentina Ramos.
Maria Capasso’s Favorite Quotes
Living Life
Life is not a race but indeed a journey. Be honest. Work hard. Be choosy. Say “thank you”, “I love you”,
and “great job” to someone each day. Go to church, take time for prayer. The Lord giveth and the Lord
taketh. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper. Love your life and what you’ve been given,
it is not accidental - search for your purpose and do it as best you can. Dreaming does matter. It allows
you to become that which you aspire to be. Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy
them. Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming. Forgive, it
frees the soul. Take time for yourself - plan for longevity. Recognize the special people you’ve been
blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment.
Bonnie L. Mohr.
A FEW WORDS OF CARING
After a while you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning. That kisses aren’t contracts, and presents aren’t
promises. And you begin to accept defeats with your head up and your eyes open. With the grace of a
woman not the grief of a child. So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of
waiting for someone to bring you flowers. And you learn that you can endure... that you really are strong
and you really do have worth, and that with every new tomorrow, comes the dawn.
Author Unknown
Hummingbirds
Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The
hummingbirds delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere every personal connection
has meaning and that laughter is life’s sweet creation.
Papyrus
Here’s to an amazing day! Enjoy!
THANK GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS!
GOD LOVES US
.... “ I have loved you with an everlasting love I have drawn you with unfailing kindness”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own
mess. Don’t take things that are not yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands
before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life learn some and
think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plants
go up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that goldfish and hamsters and white
mice and even a little seed in the Styrofoam cup they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick and Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all
LOOK.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The golden rule and love and basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.
Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family
life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a
better world it would be if we all, the whole world had cookies and milk about 3 o’clock every afternoon
and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put
things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess. And it is still true no matter how old
you are when you go out into the world it is best to hold hands and stick together.
-Robert Fulghum
Press on:
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence
Talent will not;
Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not;
Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not;
The world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
-Author Unknown
More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.
Author Unknown
ANIMA CHRISTI
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the
side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. All good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy
wounds hide me. Suffer me not to be separated from Thee. From the malignant enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me, And bid me come to Thee, That with Thy Saints, I may praise
Thee, forever and ever. Amen
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