Rita Ann Chavez Cerda Guerrero was born on May 22, 1931 on the Apache Reservation in Anadarko, OK. She spent most of her life in Oklahoma, California, and Texas. She was a Head Start founder, a volunteer medical research hero at LIT & LU, a translator at the Jefferson County courthouse, and a home health care provider to many.
Rita was and extraordinary women and has lived her life as one. Rare is not a good enough comparison to her or how she has made impacts in this world or changed lives. She wasn’t like any other wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, or grandma. She had stories that would make you cringe, some would make you laugh, or even cry, others just made you stare in amazement with the sheer wisdom that she spoke, but boring was no part of anything in her words or life. She was an adventurous woman. There weren't many places she had never been. From caves, rivers, lakes, oceans, mountains, plains, forests, swamps, and everything in between. She traveled the world attending concerts, bike rallies, cruises, weddings, funerals, reunions, military balls, fundraisers, Indian pow wows, orchards, farms, ranches, birthdays, zoos, water parks, theme parks, aquariums, and everything you could possibly think of, she did it. She had been in the poorest of places, but also the richest. Needless to say, Rita conquered the world, capturing everyone she met and everything in it. We celebrated her in life, now let us celebrate her in death. We are here because of her. Beautiful wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, grandma, and GG, we love you and rest easy.
Rita is survived by her sons Henry Cerda, Gerald "Toddy" Cerda, Raymond Cerda; her daughter Angel Guerrero; and her honorary daughter Kimberly Marks. Rita also leaves behind 22 grandchildren, 45 great grandchildren, and 4 great great grandchildren to celebrate her memory.
Rita was preceded in death by her first husband Raymand Clark Cerda Sr.; and her second husband, Isidro Guerrero, her daughter Edna Cerda Aguire, her son Paul Guerrero and her son Anthony Joe Cerda.
A Gathering of Family and Friends for Rita will be held Monday, September 13, 2021 at 4:00 PM at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 4955 Pine Street, Beaumont, Texas 77703, with her rosary to follow at 6:00 PM. A Celebration of Rita's Life will occur Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 10:00 AM at Cristo Rey Church, 767 Avenue A, Beaumont, Texas 77701, with her Burial to follow at Magnolia Cemetery, located at 2291 Pine St, Beaumont, TX 77703.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestlawnmpfh.com for the Cerda Guerrero family.
