Delia Pagliaro Gardea

Delia Pagliaro Gardea, aged 82, went home to be with The Lord on Maundy Thursday, April 02, 2026. She was a lifelong, native born El Pasoan whose only time away from her hometown was attributed to her husband’s active duty naval service.

Delia was born on Tuesday, September 28, 1943 to Guiseppe Pagliaro of Napoli, Italy and Socorro Garcia Pagliaro of El Paso, Texas. She was their beloved only child. Delia, or Dolly as she was lovingly called by family, graduated from Lydia Patterson Institute’s class of 1962, and later attended Texas Western College for over two years until her marriage took her from El Paso.

Delia married Texas Western business administration graduate and Officer Candidate School selectee David Luis Gardea, Jr. on June 06, 1965 in El Paso at the Open Door Chapel. The first seven years of their marriage took them to various naval stations in the New England area of the United States as well as Honolulu, Hawaii and Pearl Harbor. Additionally, during this period, Delia returned to live with her parents while David served two combat tours in Vietnam.

Delia and David permanently returned to El Paso in June 1975, along with their first-born child, Gina Marie Gardea, born January 08, 1972.

In September 1976, Delia, David, and Gina Marie moved into their eastside home in the Eastwood High School area. Delia and David welcomed the birth of their second and final child on December 07, 1978, naming him David Joseph Gardea.

The next thirty-plus years were spent watching Gina Marie and DJ progress through Vista Hills Elementary and Eastwood Middle School, graduate from Eastwood High School in 1990 and 1997, and graduate from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1994, 2004, 2005, and Grand Canyon University in 2010.

Delia worked in various retail office positions until 1977 when she became a medical secretary at Eastwood Clinic, now named Del Sol Hospital, where she worked for a partnership of seven physicians. In 1981, she moved with Dr. Jesus Roberto Vazquez-Ibarra to begin his solo cardiology practice and Delia stayed with Dr. V. until they jointly closed and retired his practice on Delia’s birthday in 2007.

Delia was a devoted mother to a very large contingent of desert turtles and miniature schnauzers over the years, but outside of her family, her great love was the cinema. She loved films of all genres and encouraged this deeply felt appreciation in both her children. There was nothing like a conversation at the Gardea dinner table, accented by authentic Italian cuisine, complete with endless film quotes, acting, impersonations, and countless references to films seen together and the memories of the many cinemas the family patronized over the years. The film awards season of late fall, winter, and early spring was always a time of deep discussion and dissection for the Gardea clan, and Delia trained us all to watch the award shows like bona fide film critics.

Delia is preceded in death by her parents, Guiseppe Pagliaro (1892-1975) and Socorro Garcia Pagliaro (1919-2000). She leaves behind her husband of 60 years, US Navy Captain David L. Gardea, Jr., her two children, Gina Marie Warswick and David Joseph “DJ” Gardea, and her children’s cherished spouses, Shawn Michael Warswick and Ashley Domenique Gardea, who all relied upon and adored her candor, attitude, razor sharp intuition, flair, and artistic taste.

Delia took great delight in the many accomplishments of her family, from her husband’s high military rank and multiple civilian government honors, to raising two college educated children with master’s degrees who both became writers and educators. She was by far the family’s biggest cheerleader and judicious voice of approval or dissent. Her words of guidance will continue to mold the lives of all who remain bound by her love.

Delia, Dolly, Doll, Mom, Momma, Mummy, Libra, Jedi Master, we love you.

Visitation and rosary service will be on Monday, April 13, 2026 at 6 pm at Hillcrest Funeral Home at 1060 North Carolina Drive, El Paso, TX 79915. Attendees may help us honor Delia by wearing her favorite color of yellow, as she was a true Yellow Rose of Texas.

Catholic funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 12:30 pm at Guardian Angel Catholic Church at 3021 Frutas Avenue, El Paso, TX 79905 with interment to follow at Fort Bliss National Cemetery at 5200 Fred Wilson Avenue, El Paso, TX 79906.