Patsy Balderas

Patsy grew up in the St. Mary’s University area of San Antonio TX and lived in a house built by her father and mother Gonzalo and Pauline Ponce. The Ponce family operated a popular and successful welding shop on that same property for many decades specializing in repair welding, custom fabrication, and decorative ornamental steel. Ponce’s Welding was a westside institution that served hard working Mexican families by helping them to maintain and nurture what they needed to earn their living.

Patsy from an early age showed both a high intellectual and high emotional intelligence with an added dose of unwavering commonsensical tenacity. She was fearless in defense of her loved ones and herself. This toughness taught by her loving parents allowed all of the Ponce children to graduate from High School, either Edgewood HS or Memorial HS, during a time where this was an exception and not a rule. Patsy married her high school sweetheart, Johnny Balderas, in 1964 and she stood by his side for the rest of her life.

Patsy was a devoted mother to her four children, Rene, Lisa, Stacey, Sam, and her 8 grandchildren. It can be stated, like her mother Pauline before her, that she was a natural when it came to stewarding the life of a child. She would meet people for the first time and immediately offer them her love and support, often telling people to call her “grandma”. The empathy that Patsy displayed to all children allowed her to move up through the ranks at her work as first a teacher’s assistant, then in charge of her own daycare class, to finally holding the Data Clerk position at Barkley-Ruiz Elementary School, SAISD, for many years. It was common for Patsy to work with students whose parents were also former students. Even though retired Patsy devotedly helped her daughter, Lisa, when called upon in Lisa’s classroom at Glenoaks Elementary School in NISD.

After sharing her love and creativity in the education environment, Patsy worked a part time job at Craftiques Mall. There she was able to combine her passion for meeting people and frugality, with collectibles and crafts. Patsy will always be remembered for her signature look and staples in her selfcare: perfect hair, perfume, jewelry, and manicured nails. She worked a full time job, was a homemaker, a wife, and a mother all at the same time for 30+ years. She balanced her life and created a family with everyone she met along her journey.

Patsy was a woman of profound Christian faith and through her ministry many found their way to Jesus Christ. Johnny and Patsy served as home ministers for their church and for many years their home was a place of bible study, worship, song, and prayer for all who sought them out. Patsy’s discernment allowed her to be a prayer warrior like no other and she spiritually served her family, friends, and everyone around her until her last day. All glory be to God.

Patsy is survived by her husband of 61 years Johnny Balderas, her brother Julian Ponce Sr. (Marty), her sister Olga Ponce Rodriguez (Augustine), and her brother Gonzalo Ponce (Cheryl), her children; Rene Balderas, Lisa Balderas, Stacey Balderas, and Sam Balderas, her grandchildren; Mia Balderas, Nadia Balderas, Olivia Balderas, Lailani Mendez, Tristan Mendez, Jordan Mendez, Alana Balderas and Audrey Balderas as well as many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents Gonzalo and Pauline Ponce, her brother Henry Ponce, her sister Nancy Ponce, her grandchild Tristan James Balderas, and her nephews Julian Ponce Jr., Jason Ponce, and Jacob Ponce.

A visitation for Patsy will be held on Sunday, May 4, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home, 6321 Bandera Road, San Antonio, TX 78238, followed by a Celebration of Life at 4:00 PM.