Rachel Villarreal Marroquin

On August 1, 1936, in the proud Texas port city of Corpus Christi, Rachel V. Villarreal was born to her loving parents Francisca and Santiago. She was the fourth of five Villarreal children joining siblings Emma, Daniel, Jimmy and Abel. Eighteen years later, she graduated from Pres-Mex, an all-girls high school in nearby Taft, where she was already making a name for herself because of her phenomenal singing voice. She continued her education and went on to attend Del Mar College, where she focused on business.

She was teaching a Sunday School class when a promising (and handsome) college student, who was attending her class, first laid eyes on Rachel and her signature red lipstick. Legend has it that young Samuel Marroquin was so taken by her beauty that he told his friend, on the spot, that he was going to marry her. He promptly asked her out, but there was a problem: Rachel’s staunch Southern Baptist family insisted on an engagement before Sam and Rachel could go on an unaccompanied date. So for what seemed like an eternity to young Sam, on every date the two lovebirds were accompanied by Rachel’s mother until Sam dropped to a knee and proposed marriage to the love of his life.

Rachel and Sam were married November 1958 and promptly moved to Houston. Daughter Cindy arrived in 1959 followed by Elizabeth in 1963. The family prospered. Sam and Rachel started an export crating business, which at its peak was one of the most successful Hispanic businesses in the United States. In addition to helping Sam with the business, Rachel managed their home. She made sure that Cindy and Elizabeth had matching dresses, which Rachel made herself. Much to Cindy’s annoyance, she even sewed matching ruffles on the girls’ white socks. She sang in the church choir. She made the world’s best fideo, beans and tortillas (a gift she handed down to Cindy), and she baked and decorated beautiful wedding cakes (an art she passed to Elizabeth). And critically, she never left the house without adorning her lips with her signature red lipstick.

Rachel was a woman of profound faith. Nightly, she would read to her daughters from the family bible as she taught her daughters the importance of trusting in and placing your faith in the hands of the Lord. She regularly taught Sunday School. She continued to sing in the choir, and she worked alongside Sam, who was a renowned state leader in the music ministry. No doubt because of her uplifting spirit (to say nothing of her cooking and baking skills), Rachel managed countless church festivities. Her red-lipstick framed smiles, happy disposition, and genuinely kind spirit made everyone’s day a little brighter.

Rachel’s family prospered in countless ways. As the export crating business grew and matured, so did their girls. Cindy and Elizabeth graduated high school, attended college, and started their own families. The train that had for years circled around the family Christmas trees providing hours of joy to Cindy and Elizabeth didn’t have time to gather any dust as grandchildren Melissa, Alexander, Sammy and Siena, and even great grandchildren Dylan and Luke, joined the ranks.

In 2012, after 54 years of marriage, Rachel’s, best friend, her rock, inspiration, husband Sam, joined his Lord. But Rachel had more work to do. She visited senior centers providing companionship to many. She continued to participate in the choir. She baked innumerable cakes and other baked treats. She cooked bowls and bowls of fideo and beans. And she pressed literally hundreds of home-made tortillas for family and friends. She counseled her daughters and loved on her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She continued to travel spending time with family in Colorado and taking in the sights and musical sounds of Branson Missouri. At the end of her 85th birthday, she went swimming for the first time . . . fully clothed (of course her lipstick survived unscathed). Nothing slowed Rachel down, not even cancer: She fought multiple battles with breast cancer . . . and vanquished it again and again.

Eventually, and after putting up a fight for the ages, Father Time caught up to Rachel and ushered her back to the arms of her beloved Sam and her Heavenly Father. She was warm, comfortable, and attended to by her friends and family until the very end. (A special thank you to Dr. Mohammed Attar who for years devotedly cared for her and Sam as both physician and as friend.) As Rachel was comforted, she continued to give comfort and joy to all her loved ones. And yes, when she passed, daughters Elizabeth and Cindy and granddaughter Melissa made sure that her signature red lipstick was with her.

Rachel is survived by her two cherished daughters, Cindy Samudio (husband Joe) and Elizabeth Harvey (husband Grant), who were her pride and joy. She also leaves behind her four grandchildren, Melissa Reynolds (husband Ryan), Sammy Escamilla, Alexander Samudio, Siena Harvey, her two great grandchildren Dylan Reynolds and Luke Reynolds, and innumerable extended family members and friends all of whom provided her with tremendous joy, support, and comfort throughout her life. Mama, we honor you, we celebrate you, we miss you, and we love you . . . always, from now until eternity.

A visitation for Rachel will be held Monday, February 3, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Brookside Funeral Home, 13747 Eastex Freeway, Houston, TX 77039 with prayer service beginning at 7:00 PM. A funeral service is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM, in Brookside's Grand Chapel. Followed by burial at 1:00 PM at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77038.