Evangelina Riojas Longoria

Evangelina “Vangie” Riojas Longoria passed away peacefully at the graceful age of 97 years on January 24th, 2022, a day when the earth wept and the angels rejoiced. Born February 10th, 1924, the 22nd child of Juanita Carrion Riojas and Aureliano Vasquez Riojas. She married Manuel Pena Longoria June 1945. She was preceded in death by her parents, Aureliano Vasquez Riojas and Juanita Carrion Riojas; her 22 siblings and the love of her life, her husband Manuel Pena Longoria of 59 years. She is survived by her sons, Manuel Longoria Jr. (Betty), Marcus Longoria Sr. (Sandi), Michael Longoria Sr. (Dora), Martin Y. Longoria Sr.; daughter Melinda Guerrero (Anthony); grandsons, Marcus Longoria Jr. (Amy), Manuel

Longoria III (April), Michael Longoria Jr., Matthew Longoria (Liz), Mario Longoria, Mark Longoria, Martin Longoria (Carrie), Martin Ygnacio Longoria Jr.; granddaughters, Melanie Morales (Joe), Melody Eva Lopez (Richard), Melissa Rabago, Michelle Beltran (Rueben), Monique Travis (Geoffrey), Marissa Elaine Limon (David), Marti Delgado (Augustine); great grandsons, Joshua Anthony Fernandez, Marcus Longoria III (Rita), Anthony Morales (Janina), Jacob Madigal, Eian Longoria, Giovanni Emmanuel Limon, Nathan Longoria, Matthew Evan Longoria, Rueben Beltran Jr., Gabriel Longoria, Elias Travis; great granddaughters, Alexia Alysse Lopez, Samantha Limon, Arianna Therese Lopez, Carissa Liet Rabago, Victoria Longoria, Evangelina Travis, Lillianna Longoria, Sophia Rose Rabago, Erin Isabelle Rabago, Olivia Beltran, Jasmine Longoria, Maxine Dallas Longoria, Aria Lynn Longoria, Sophia Beltran, Aaliyah Giselle Delgado, Natalie Nicole Delgado, Mila Jean Limon, Elani Travis; great-great grandsons; Elias Morales, Augustine Delgado III; great-great granddaughters; Addison Morales, Alyna Morales, Rosalie Longoria.

Evangelina graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in 1942. She worked at San Antonio General Depot at Fort Sam Houston from 1942 to 1945. She than began working at Kelly AFB in 1945 and retired after serving a remarkable career in the Special Weapons Division after 35 years. After retiring from Kelly AFB she worked at San Fernando Cathedral as a bookkeeper for 13 years, served as an usher and Eucharistic Minister at the 12:00 noon Sunday mass, was active on the San Fernando Restoration Project, the Guadalupanas and the Fiesta Church Festival.

Her hobbies included shopping, her favorite, (she said this was the secret to her long life), cooking, dancing, entertaining family, relatives and friends, sewing quilts and making Fiesta halos and first communion crowns for San Fernando Cathedral.

She stated her greatest joy in life was meeting Pope John Paul II on September 17th, 1987 face-to-face and being blessed at San Fernando Cathedral. She stated it was a powerful and incredible feeling being close to a person next to God, and the love of her life with her also, so what more could she ask for.

Evangelina’s legacy is a lifetime of service to family, relatives, friends and God. She was a loving, caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother. She had a beautiful sense of style. She loved her fashion, her beautifully coordinated outfits and her husband Manuel looking dapper in his suits. Always the bell of the ball when she went dancing with her husband Manuel. She was devoted to her husband Manuel and dedicated herself, tirelessly caring for him in his last years of failing health. Her greatest joy was spending time in the kitchen preparing meals for her family’s Sunday dinners and holidays. The gatherings were always filled with laughter. With 97 years of living behind her, she loved sharing her life’s stories. On weekends when she wasn’t working and especially after she retired from Kelly, she devoted herself into service at her beloved San Fernando Cathedral. Her gift was always being very generous and kind when anyone needed help. Her happiest times were her annual trips to Las Vegas with usual suspects made up of San Fernando parishioners, family and friends. She loved the thrill of the slot machines. Evangelina lived a full life and always stated God had her here for so long for a purpose. Perhaps that purpose was to give us an example of a life well-loved and lived. Mom, you are so very loved by all of us and you will forever be in our hearts and prayers. Feeling what was and what now is, is not good-bye but rather until we meet again. Our beautiful Mamacita, God bless you and rest in peace.

The family would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Father David Garcia, Dr. Regina Lee, Dr. Justo Cisneros, nurses Jules, Mallory and Leska, nurse aids Marta and Norma, Magnolia Home Care, Roy Akers Funeral Home, Stephen Dunbar- Rodney, Denise Buenrostro, Emily and Linda, Irene and Eloise for their San Fernando Cathedral help and all the wonderful friends, family, and extended Longoria & Riojas relatives for their visits, phone calls, prayers, and support.

With special love and eternal gratitude to Dora and Michael Longoria, special caregivers, Carrie, Holly, Gabriel, Mario and Mikey and their entire family as her primary caregivers these last four years whose devotion and endless compassionate loving care contributed to Evangelina’s long and fruitful life. Also our eternal loving gratitude to Marcus and Sandi Longoria who lovingly cared for her and dedicated themselves into giving Evangelina the best and most memorable times of her life for 11 years. Sincerest thank you to her granddaughter Marissa Limon and family who also lovingly contributed in watching over her grandmother for 2 years. And thank you to Aunt Tencha Mendez who made her feel as if she still had a sister watching over her, which meant the world to her.

Public visitation will be Monday February 7th, 2022, 3:00-4:30 p.m., at Roy Akers, 515 N, Main Ave. Rosary to be live streamed Monday, February 7th, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. on Funeraria Del Angel Roy Akers Funeral Home Facebook Page starting at 6:50 p.m.

Private mass and burial for family only due to covid precautions to take place Tuesday, February 8th, 2022 at San Fernando Cathedral.

Respectfully,

Melinda Longoria Guerrero

On behalf of the Longoria Family