Esther Escalante Canas

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Esther Escalante Canas, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.      Esther was born on June 30, 1927 at home in Tyler, Texas. She was the daughter of Antonio and Margarita Escalante. Raised in San Antonio, Texas, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.      As a young girl, Esther was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Esther was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Esther was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Esther also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Esther was raised with eight siblings. She had 2 older brothers, Paul and Juan, four older sisters, Patricia, Lupe, Ninfa, and Dominga, and two younger brothers, Tony and Nate. Esther was constantly involved in activities with her family. Esther and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.      Most folks would say that Esther was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Esther was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Esther best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Esther kept. Later in life, she became friends with Glendy Faz-Patsy.      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Esther. On September 5, 1955 Esther married Mario Canas (deceased) at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Alice, Texas. She was totally committed to Mario and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Esther naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Esther disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.      Esther was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Esther was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Esther was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Esther was blessed with seven children. She had six daughters, Eva (deceased), Blanche, Sara, Trina, Isabel, and Mary, and one son, Mario Jr. She was also blessed with twenty-seven grandchildren, Eric, Star, Greg, Sara, John, Angelina, Sonny, Christina, Steve, Rebecca, Tommy, Laura, Tony, Desiree, Tim, Jessica, Rick, Lisa, Michael, Angel, Joshua, Brianna, Jason, Alexandria, Mario Jr., Marissa, and Cynthia, and thirty-two great grandchildren.      Esther liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Esther's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Esther preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were gardening. Esther was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.      An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important to Esther. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member St. Rita for 15 years.      Esther had Diamond, A Chihuahua, who was her best friend for 5 years. Her family was rounded out by her doves. Esther was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.      Esther passed away on December 13, 2009 at Tulare Regional Hospital in Tulare, California due to a stroke. She is survived by her children, Blanche, Sara, Trina, Isabel, Mary, and Mario Jr.; her 27 grandchildren, Eric, Star, Greg, Sara, John, Angelina, Sonny, Christina, Steve, Rebecca, Tommy, Laura, Tony, Desiree, Tim, Jessica, Rick, Lisa, Michael, Angel, Joshua, Brianna, Jason, Alexandria, Mario Jr., Marissa, and Cynthia; and her 32 great grandchildren. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home in the Chapel of Roses. Esther was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California.      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Esther was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Esther was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Esther Canas was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Esther. She will be missed.