Blanca Alicia Sanchez, lovingly known as “Ma”, went to be with the Lord on March 27, 2019, at the age of 88 years. A native of San Antonio, Texas, She was born on March 21, 1931 to Octaviano and Socorro Maldonado.
In 1947, she met and married the love of her life, Nicolas Sanchez, at the young age of 16. Their marriage was an adventure from the start. Three times, Nick came to ask for her hand in marriage along with his father and the parish priest, and three times her father left out the back way to avoid talking to them. The couple eventually eloped to Chicago and returned quickly to San Antonio where they were also married again in the catholic church.
Their happy union produced nine daughters and four sons - all raised on the proceeds of their small neighborhood grocery, Sanchez Meat Market, located on the corner of Cibolo and Saunders. Alicia made quilts, fixed screen doors, baked cakes from scratch and once even made a piñata out of a ceramic casuela, all the while with a baby or young child around her. She was a devoted and faithful mother and wife and will be forever remembered by her family.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Nicolas Sanchez, her parents Octaviano and Socorro, and her beloved sister, Margaret Perez. She will be forever and lovingly remembered by her brother and sister Mary Ward (John), and Rueben Maldonaldo (Anna), and her thirteen children, Sylvia Guzman (Raymond-deceased), Octaviano Sanchez (Sylvia), Rosalinda Vasquez (Israel-deceased), Anna Maria Pastrano (Jesse), Maria Teresa Fernandez (Salvador ), Carmen Sanchez-Campos (Carlos), Nick Sanchez Jr. (Georgia ), Magdalena Torres (Fred ), Alice Romo (Albert), Albert Sanchez (Mary), Lisa Sanchez Villa(Jesse), Angelita Galindo(Joe-deceased), and Sebastian Sanchez (Rebecca).
Also left to mourn her passing are her many loved and cherished grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandson.
The family will be receiving friends for a Visitation on Tuesday, April 9th at Roy Akers Funeral Home - 515 N. Main Ave. 78205 - from 5 PM to 9 PM, with a Rosary to be recited at 7 PM. A Funeral Procession will depart at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, April 10th and arrive at Sacred Heart Catholic Church - 2114 W. Houston St. 78207 - for 10 AM Mass. Burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery - 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd. 78209 - will follow at 1 PM, where she will be reunited with her husband, Nicolas.
