Concepcion Linda Banda

Concepcion Linda Banda, age 64, found eternal peace after a four-year battle with cancer on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at Faith Presbyterian Hospice in Dallas, TX. Associated with different aliases, Connie was the second to last born in a family of seven to the late Guadalupe Rios Gaytán Banda & Jose Guzman Banda on May 23, 1956 in Edinburg, TX. Connie developed a fierce sense of individuality and practicality, having been raised in a big family in a South Texas migrant farming community. This was evident in her extensive collection of varied things that filled every room of every house she lived in.

Driven to independence at an early age, Connie learned to speak up and stick up for herself when she felt slighted or overlooked. Her grandson fondly remembers when she exclaimed, “I don’t f*** with people, and I don’t like people to f*** with me”. There were many areas she dabbled in during her life, all without ever the use of a Google search. Connie refused to believe there was anything she could not do and built upon skills she picked up from family and life experiences. She often impressed people with her cooking, knitting, crocheting (at times making crocheted dolls for extra cash during the holidays), cosmetology (sorry for you if you were the victim of a home perm but as she said, “beauty hurts!”), carpentry (building her very own home entertainment center because she believed she could have everything and anything that others had), working on her own automobiles and yes, even the dreaded interior decorating that often resulted in floral patterns everywhere (please see her self-selected urn).

Connie self-taught skills and ingenuity led her to lead a colorful and diverse work life. She was a cook, a seamstress, maquiladora worker, and worked in the hospitality industry and managed commercial cleaning teams. At one stage in her life she even facilitated the transport of individuals seeking greater opportunities from south of the border.

Connie’s proudest accomplishments were her three daughters, ten grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren who she often tried to share her sentiment that anything could be accomplished with effort and grit. Connie exuded strength and tenacity in all that she did, including raising her family and it was with great comfort that her family was able to be there with her in her last days. Connie is proceeded in death by her siblings Samuel Sandoval, Francisco Sandoval, Ambrosio Banda, and Martha Banda; and survived by sisters, Elvira Robledo and María Lourdes Banda; three daughters and spouses, Mary Isabel Reyes and José Ángel Reyes, Monica Carolina Tellez-Fowler and Joseph Claude Fowler, and Ana Vanezza Alba-Dominguez and Jose Fidencio Dominguez; grandchildren and spouses, Deseree Naomi Friel, Justice Michelle Morales and Jose Morales, Xavier Devante Murphy and Laura Murphy, Kevin Sam Williams, Mercedes Morrin and Jonathon Morrin, Alexandria Perez, Enrique Perez, Monica Lizzett Aguilar and Jesus Aguilar Jr., Ana-Lizzabeth Rodriguez and Oswaldo Rodriguez, Jose-Angel Dominguez; and great grandchildren Naomi Danielle Orellana, Aimee Razielle Cruz, Gwendolyn Abrielle Cruz, Jayden Alexander Morales, Yamil Morales, Noah Francisco Morales, Jaylene Genesis Murphy, Jeremiah Gael Murphy, Theodore Joseph Morrin, Aiden Anthony Ybarra, Immanuel Ivey Ybarra, Carolina Marie Águilar, Armando Abel Aguilar and Ana-Vanezza Rodriguez. Connie lived her last four years as she did her entire life, doing what others believed she could not, doubling the life expectancy after her initial diagnoses.

Family has requested, due to capacity restrictions related to COVID 19, for friends and family to attend the Celebration of Life service remotely as we live-stream the service on our Facebook page (See link below).

All friends and family are welcome to attend the reception following the service at the family's home.

https://m.facebook.com/GroveHillFuneralHome/