Marjorie Ellen Cadena

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Mom, Marjorie Ellen Kraft Cadena. Margie was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2022, and she went to Heaven on November 20, 2025. She was 91.

There she will join her parents, her sister, Judy Kraft Lewis, many lifelong special friends, and our dad, Jim Cadena. Margie was born to Betty and Albert M. Kraft in Webster Groves, MO on September 12, 1934. Her sister, Judy, made the family complete in 1941. While the Kraft family were not born and raised Texans, they easily made San Antonio home and embraced all that is Texas, especially Tex-Mex, football, and deer hunting!

Margie is survived by her 4 children, their spouses and her 5 grandchildren: Mary Ellen Cadena Dunlap and husband, Robert; Julie Cadena Delahunt and husband, Danny; John Cadena and wife, Renelle; Nancy Cadena Williams and husband Fran; grandchildren, Travis Dunlap; Cierra, Weston and Jess Cadena; and J. R. Williams.

Margie was a proud 1952 graduate of Jefferson High School and an even prouder 1956 graduate of TCU, where she received her teaching degree and was a charter member of the Tri-Delts. Go Frogs! While at Jefferson, she made many lifelong friends. The Jeff Gals were a special group of ladies who were either members of the Cadet Corps or the Lassos while in high school. In their later years, they met each fall for their very anticipated reunion weekend. They were even featured in a 2013 article in the San Antonio Express News which highlighted their life-long friendships.

After graduation from TCU, Margie married Jim Cadena. She taught for a couple of years before she and Jim started their family. As a stay-at-home mom, she was very involved in the children's school activities. She was the room mother, the PTA mom, the Girl Scout cookie chairman, the field trip chaperone and our biggest cheerleader for all sports and dance activities! Margie returned to teaching in 1976 at Dellview Elementary in NEISD, where she spent 25 years. Always an animal lover, once retired from teaching, Margie and her dear friend, Carol Hester, were docents at the San Antonio Zoo. Additionally, Margie ensured her friends remained in touch by organizing monthly lunches and hosting an annual Dellview Christmas celebration in her home.

Margie was an excellent cook and passed down many favorites to her family. She will be in our thoughts as we cook our Thanksgiving dishes, make her famous pizza, or whip up one of her homemade pies or cakes. She enjoyed playing bridge, watching football, caring for our family pets (or strays who came to her back porch), going to the deer lease, rides in the country looking for deer, and numerous trips with her children and grandchildren to Lake Amistad, Wimberley, Houston, and Mountain Home. And of course, a great jalapeño cheeseburger!

Known as Grandmommie to her grandchildren, she hosted them at "Camp Grandmommie" for a week each summer. Mom also had a great sense of humor and was particularly fond of puns. Her regular trips to the hair and nail salon were always part of her social calendar!

We would like to thank the many selfless caregivers, medical staff and support staff who have cared for Mom since 2022. These Angels on Earth were employees at Adante Senior Living, Family Tree In Home Healthcare, Arden Courts Memory Care and Hope Hospice.

A Celebration of Life will be held on January 19, 2026. If you wish to honor Margie’s memory, these charities are near to Margie’s and our family’s hearts:

Society for Animal Rescue & Adoption - SARA - sarasanctuary.org

San Antonio Zoo - sazoo.org

Alzheimer’s Association: San Antonio & South Texas - alz.org