Raquel McCleskey, 78 years of age, a 53 year resident of the historical community of Lynchburg, Texas passed away peacefully surrounded by family in her home on February 21, 2019. She left this world with most of the glorious black hair that God gave her.
She was brought into this world by midwife on November 13, 1940 in Mathis, Texas. As a young girl, to help her family survive, she picked cotton in Robstown and surrounding communities and carried the scars of picking her entire life. She lived in the projects until her family was able to afford a home in Corpus Christi. The oldest of seven brothers and sisters she took on the responsibility of changing diapers and warming up beans for her younger siblings. She grew up on the corner of Tampico and Balboa where she attended Driscoll Junior High and graduated from Roy Miller High School in 1960 as a proud Buccaneer.
She moved to Fort Worth to live with family in search of opportunity. While there, she was introduced to a close friend’s brother who was a high spirited army sergeant named Clifford. Marriage followed soon after in the house on Tampico and Balboa on January 6th, 1965. Now an army wife of The Big Red One Infantry Division she moved to Fort Riley, Kansas where she became pregnant with her only child. The Viet Nam War sent her sergeant to Southeast Asia and sent her back to the corner of Tampico and Balboa. The baby came and the sergeant came home from the jungle and they settled in Lynchburg in 1966.
She loved her family, friends, animals and everything about the state of Texas. She liked to sing and sang little jingles to all the kids in the family. Whenever she saw a baby or small child she would kiss and hug them even if she didn’t know who it was. She was royalty in the neighborhood with all the local kids and cleaned a fair share of dirty necks and buttered a lot of handmade tortillas for them. They always had her love and support even when they were wrong. She championed the underdog and the hardworking people that make the world go round. All she wanted was to make everyone feel good and to spread happiness and that was her lifetime achievement.
Among her favorite places were her home, yard, dance floors, the end of the Texas City Dike, Peter’s Barbecue in Ellinger and her seat at Texas Royal Memorial Stadium. She was an active member and chaplain of the American Legion Auxiliary Harrisburg Unit 472.
Diminutive in size at 4 feet 11 inches she had the presence of a giant and her heart was bigger than she was. She endured the ups and downs of life without complaints and looked forward to the brighter side. Her wish was that you would not grieve her long and instead celebrate her life. She wants you to live your life right so that you can see her again on the other side and if you do see her again you will know you are in the best of all possible places.
She is survived by her husband Clifford McCleskey, son Brian Keith McCleskey, sister Irma Rodriguez, brothers Pablo Garza, Rudy Garza and Ricky Garza and an army of dearly loved nieces, nephews and cousins.
Her body will be donated to The University of Texas Medical Branch for research purposes and where she will be cremated. Her ashes will be spread upon the sparkling waters of Galveston Bay with her beloved dolphins at a later date.
A celebration of her life will be held on Tuesday, February 26th at 5:00 PM
Earthman Funeral Home in Baytown, Texas
3919 Garth Road
(281) 422-8181
In lieu of flowers please make donations in her name to the baytownhumanesociety.org or to dolphinrescue.org
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