Rosa Maria Abreo

Rosa Maria Abreo, 67, of Lakeway, Texas died peacefully in her sleep and joined our Lord on October 1st, 2015, ending her second battle with cancer. She was born in Rio Grande City, Texas and her late mother, Maria Lydia Sepulveda, made sure that Rosa received a proper education and a strong Christian foundation. Rosa received her university degree from Our Lady of the Lake University and immediately started her career as a teacher devoted to the plight of the disadvantaged, primarily the poor "barrio" kids in south San Antonio. There she excelled in bilingual and special needs education, a vocation that lasted her entire 45-year teaching career. In 1973 she married Chris P. Abreo, and together they raised two sons, Robert R. and David John Abreo, married to Rene. Both sons blessed the family with granddaughters, Robert's daughter Normandy Marie, and David and Rene's daughters Emma Lily and Mila Elyse, all of whom survive her.

Rosa Maria then moved to Garland, Texas in 1974 where she implemented that school district's first bilingual program while starting a family and working on her Master's degree at SMU. Later the family moved to Lakeway in 1986 and she continued teaching disenfranchised children while pursuing a doctorate degree in education. After several years of study, she received her Ph.D from the University of Texas at Austin in Curriculum Development and immediately changed her mindset to instruct educators instead of children. Her focus became the teachers, principally those who shared her passion for bilingual children and their education.

She started a consulting company in addition to her local teaching duties and developed a clientele of school districts throughout Texas, stretching from Terrell to Lubbock, to east Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. She did extensive work with the Center, Texas and Eagle Pass, Texas ISDs, to name just a few. She also worked at Texas A&M University, Palo Alto Campus in San Antonio as a professor instructing upper level and graduate students on the methods and requirements of bilingual and special needs education. Through her mentoring and attentive care for her graduate students, she was instrumental in getting several to pursue educational careers and strive for their doctorates. After she semi-retired from that position, she became an adjunct professor at Concordia University where she continued her instructions of graduate-level students until her illness forced her to retire.

Rosa Maria was a true and devout follower of Christ. Even in the midst of cancer treatments, she met many whom she would encourage and bring hope to by sharing God's works in her life. Her faith guided her life's steps as she strove to help others and give a voice to the voiceless. Wherever her circumstances took her, she left behind the planted seeds of God's word with the knowledge that someday God would reap what she had sewn.

In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her step-father Pedro Sepulveda; her brothers Leonel Sauceda and Pedro Sepulveda Jr., married to Myrna; her sisters Sylvia, Teresa, and Norma Linda Sepulveda; and her nieces Melissa, Vivien, Rebekkah, and Yaretzi Sepulveda.

The family wishes to profusely thank Austin Hospice Nurse Patricia Almond, and care-giver Nurys Finney who so professionally and warmly provided attentive care and comfort to Rosa Maria in her last days.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, October 10, 2015 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. with funeral services beginning at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel at Weed-Corley-Fish Lake Travis. A reception will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society or to a charity of one's choice.