Clementina M. Packard, 98, passed peacefully on to our Lord on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, surrounded by family. Mrs. Packard, one of five children, was born on November 23, 1922 to Francisco Mendoza and Salvadora Sanjur in La Mesa, Panama. She lived in Panama City as a young woman, and after a brief marriage to Elbert L. Holland Sr., with whom she had four children, Clementina met a young American combat engineer, Wayne K. Packard, of Klamath Falls, Oregon, who was serving as an instructor with the U.S. Army School of the Americas in Panama. Clementina and Wayne married in 1954, and after moving around through various military postings in the U.S. and South America, returned to the United States in 1964, settling in El Paso, Texas where Wayne was posted to Ft. Bliss, the U.S Army base. In 1977, Clementina and Wayne settled in Arlington, Texas and lived there with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren until her death. Wayne preceded Clementina in passing on to our Lord in 2008. As an immigrant to the United States, Clementina showed incredible strength and courage in taking on learning a new language and culture while raising the children on her own as her husband met his obligations with the U.S. Army around the world. She became an accomplished seamstress and trained as a commercial seamstress. Sewing became her lifelong passion, as she created school dresses, play clothes, prom dresses, and wedding dresses for her daughters, as well as her granddaughters. Clementina realized a lifelong dream in 1992, when she became a U.S. citizen in Ft. Worth, Texas. From humble beginnings, and by overcoming many challenges, Clementina and Wayne guided and inspired their offspring to serve in the military, and to contribute to their communities in the financial, telecommunications, public health, and civil services areas, among many others. Survivors: Clementina Packard is survived by eight children: Richard Haibing and Aida Ruiz of Panama City, Panama; Dixie Flint and her husband Amos of Georgetown, Texas; Elbert L. Holland and his wife Zulma, of Florida; Virginia R. Bolivar and her husband Tony of Arlington; Rubia E. Packard of Elk Grove, CA; Irene Bolgiano–Huff and her husband, Michael of Arlington; Frank H. Packard of Ft. Worth, Texas; 18 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren, with one more on the way; and other loving family and friends.
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