Gloria A. Guerra

Gloria A. Guerra, 71, passed away on September 10, 2026. Born January 5, 1955, Gloria was a beloved presence to those who knew her and a steady, cherished part of her family’s life. Gloria resided in Brownsville, Texas.

Gloria is survived by her husband of 54 years, Mack Guerra Jr.; her son, Mack Guerra III; her daughter in law, Anna M. Guerra; her granddaughter, Alyssa D. Gonzalez; her grandsons, Erin R. Guerra, and Mack Guerra IV; her sisters, Virginia Vela, Maria Del Rosario Sanchez, and Minerva Barrientes; her brothers in law, Jesus Barrientes, and Juan J. Vela; and her brothers, Enrique Alvarez Jr., Celestino Alvarez, and Victor Alvarez. Also leaves behind many aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces.

Gloria was preceded in death by her son, Esteban Guerra; her father, Enrique Alvarez Sr.; her mother, Josefina G. Alvarez; her brother, Victor Alvarez; her brother, Celestino Alvarez; and her brother, Enrique Alvarez Jr.

Visitation will be held at Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista on September 12, 2026, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Then I Saw Her Face

The love that God sent me hit me with a single blow. The moment I saw her my heart only knew emptiness. I had male and female friends, but even surrounded by them, I felt alone. Today I understand it was destiny, or a divine plan, for us to be together.

It all happened in Social Studies class in Junior High. Gloria appeared at the classroom door, and in that second, the world stopped. Everything I was doing stopped and there was only silence.

I saw her standing there, near the teacher's desk, and felt an urgent pressure in my chest. My own heart was screaming at me: “Speak, say something! Go on, speak, SPEAK!”

Overcoming my nerves, the only thing I managed to say was: —Teacher, here... she can sit here. There’s no one here.

The teacher looked at me with doubt and suspicion: —But she doesn't have a book. —Don't worry —I said immediately— we can use the same book.

As soon as I finished speaking, Gloria approached without saying a single word. Looking into her beautiful brown eyes, I saw the reflection of my own face. It was so clear I couldn't help but say out loud: “You carry my picture in your eyes.”

The whole classroom erupted in laughter and mocking, but I ignored the gestures and the sneers. My world was reduced to her once again. Gloria smiled at me, and in that instant, the silence returned. I heard nothing else; I saw no one else. I didn't know exactly when it began, but I felt with absolute certainty that all the love in my heart was for Gloria.

As she sat, I pulled her desk as close to mine as possible. She didn't complain; on the contrary, she gave me that smile that changed everything.

I opened the Social Studies book right to the middle, placing it exactly in the space that joined our desks. My hands were shaky. I tried to concentrate on the teacher's lesson, but his voice sounded distant, like an echo in a tunnel. The only real thing was the scent of her perfume and the closeness of her arm next to mine.

Every now and then, she moved her hand to turn the page or to point to a map in the book, and in those accidental brushes of our fingers, I felt a spark that ran through my arm. She said nothing, but she didn’t have to. In that room full of people, it was just the two of us sharing a book, and the beginning of something God had already written for us.

When the class ended, the fear that she would leave overwhelmed me. The bell rang like an alarm breaking the spell. The other students got up in a hurry, but I stayed pinned to my seat, watching her close the book with delicacy.

—Thank you for sharing your book Mack, she said in her soft voice that finished winning me over.

—You don't have to say thanks —I replied, trying to keep my voice from trembling—. Tomorrow... will you sit here tomorrow too?

Gloria looked at me intently with those eyes that still held my reflection. She didn't answer with words immediately; she simply packed her things, and just before walking toward the door, she touched my arm lightly and nodded her head.

—I'll be here tomorrow —she promised.

I watched her walk down the hallway and felt the breath return to my lungs. God hadn't just sent me love in one blow; He had given me a reason to look forward to the next day. I walked to my next class feeling that the emptiness that used to weigh me down had been completely filled with a light that had only one name: Gloria.

That night I realized that Gloria and I were only pieces of a much larger plan. I felt that I had to act quickly to communicate my feelings, my desires, and everything I was always missing in order to finally align myself with God's plan.

Today, fifty-four years later, I look back and see God’s plan fulfilled. That light which began in a classroom has illuminated more than half a century. We shared children, had dreams, and a faith that has kept us strong.

Now my friend, my love is fading before my eyes. Cancer has taken her into God’s arms. Now, I pull my chair next to her bed and read her favorite scripture… Isaiah 41:13: “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”

I understand that our union was blessed from that shared desk, fulfilling the eternal promise of the scripture:

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mark 10:9)

I Love You Gloria until we meet again.