Maria Stelly

Maria was from a small town called Apo del Rosario, where she had a rough but loving childhood. As a young lady, she decided to move to California in search of a better future for herself and so that she could earn and send money back home to her parents.

While in California, she would meet and fall in love with a U.S. Airman that took their adventures from there to Louisiana, Mississippi and finally to Texas. Establishing roots in Houston, they began a family of their own. They worked hard and even though most times we didn’t have money or food, they always managed to pull through.

In later years, they established Stelly’s Furniture Upholstery and worked side by side during the day and long into the night. They created beautiful furnishings and were proud of what they had accomplished.

Mom loved gardening, singing, sewing and cooking authentic Mexican food and some of our dad’s favorite Cajun dishes.

She never forgot about family or acquaintances she had left behind those many years ago.

Countless summers were spent packing up the suburban with so many things she could think of and dad driving us all from Houston to Apo. If she wanted it done, he didn’t say no. We also visited often during the years many family and friends in Louisiana. She loved them all, especially her brother and sister-in-laws.

December of 1990 was hard for Mom because she had to say good-bye to the man that she shared her life with. Mom has always been a strong, tough and resilient woman.

As the years passed, we made her a grandmother and a great-grandmother. She loved the children tremendously and gave what she could of her heart and soul.

In recent years she had to continue a fight with her own health issues. Her heart was damaged already and when she lost her last brother, our Tio Jose, the last piece of her heart shattered.

We want to thank her care team at Centerwell, especially her Doctor, Blanca Martinez for being so compassionate and caring with Mom these last years.

Thank you to Davita Central for all the dialysis sessions and to her angel Clayton, who Mom would say has magic hands, he never hurt her, and she spoke of him often.

Thank you to all the Doctors, nurses and staff at HCA for the outstanding and compassionate care and attention given to our Mom this last week, especially Ola who decorated Mom’s hospital room for her birthday.

Mom, may you walk the shores of heaven with your husband by your side.

Love Always,

Your Family