Mary "Annesta" Annestacia Mathiasz

Mary Annestacia Mathiasz — beloved “Annesta” — passed peacefully on April 30, 2026, in Austin, Texas, at the age of 80. Born on August 5, 1945, in Sri Lanka, she carried the warmth of her homeland throughout a life marked by extraordinary kindness, quiet strength, and an open heart.

A devoted homemaker, Annesta made her home the center of the family’s world. Married to her beloved Robert for 47 years and never apart, she and her husband opened their doors — and their hearts — to raise countless nieces and nephews over the years, and her kitchen became the legendary gathering place it was because of her. Her cooking was more than nourishment; it was an act of love, prepared with the same curiosity and drive for excellence she brought to everything she touched — whether tending her garden, trying a new recipe, or finding a better way to arrange a room.

She loved to garden, and she would not leave a single patch of earth bare — every spare corner found its flower or vegetable. But more than any hobby or craft, Annesta loved her family above all else.

A devout Catholic and a proud member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Austin, Texas, Annesta’s faith was the compass of her life. She found deep comfort in prayer and recited the Rosary faithfully until her very last days. Yet it was how she treated others that spoke most clearly of who she was — the first to show up when anyone was in need, always carrying the lion’s share of the load while quietly stepping back from any credit. She was the quiet strength of her family, a steady and sheltering presence through every season of life.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, K. D. Jerome Silva and K. D. Mary L. Silva, and her dear brothers Anthony Silva (and his wife Dona Seelawathie) and Cyril Silva (and his wife Princy). She is survived by her devoted husband, Augustine Robert

Mathiasz; her beloved brothers and sisters: Mervyn Silva and wife Daneshwarie, Tyronne Silva and wife Sandya, Swarna Bernadette Silva and husband Christopher Perera, and Quintus Priyantha Silva and wife Shamalee; and an extended family and cherished in-laws: Therese Jayawardane and family (Austin, TX); Hugh, Monica, and family (Austin, TX); Philomina and family (Sri Lanka); and Loudette Krishnananda and family (Sri Lanka).

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to Hospice Austin — its volunteers and care team — for the extraordinary compassion and dignity they extended to Annesta and to the family during this time.