Neomi Rodriguez Medina

The original soccer mom, Neomi Elizabeth Medina, 77, of Dallas, Texas, went on to be with her Lord Jesus peacefully in her sleep on February 3, 2015, with her daughter, Christina Baranga, at her side. Born April 25, 1937 in El Paso, Texas, Neomi is predeceased by her (soccer referee) husband of 48 years, Efraim Medina of Dallas, Texas.

Neomi married her childhood sweetheart, Efraim, and they lived in Dallas, Texas throughout their marriage. She was an active member of Primera Iglesia Bautista Church in Dallas along with Efraim, who had become a deacon of the church. Some years later, they opened their loving, Christian home by adopting a son, Jonathan. At this same time, as the oldest child in her sibling group of 7, Neomi was also very actively involved in her siblings’ lives and often had 2 or 3 of them riding along with her and Efraim on whatever adventure they had in mind.

The 1970’s found Neomi and Efraim settled down in a home in Dallas along with their newly adopted infant daughter, Christina. Ever the caretakers, this was not the last time they opened their home. Family and friends spent countless days and nights in Neomi’s home as her generous heart was brimming over with humor, love, courage, wisdom, and fun, including an attitude that there was always room for one more. She never wanted people to go out of their way for her. Yet, she did it all of the time for others.

Neomi was a successful soccer coach in the 1970’s and 1980’s when not spending time at her ‘paying job’ as a seamstress and a salesperson. She spent her spare time with Efraim cheering for (when not yelling at) the Dallas Cowboys on TV on Sundays, reading - both fiction and non-fiction, and sewing. She worked as a salesperson prior to her retirement and often shared fond memories and humorous stories of her time with her coworkers who turned into close friends.

She had the Serenity prayer plaque over the kitchen sink and also in her bedroom and it conveyed her approach to life and its many wonders and challenges –

God grant me the Serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

and Wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;…

--Reinhold Niebuhr

The best way to cherish the memories you have of her would be to honor her memory by doing good things for others with no expectation of anything in return. This is how she lived her life and there is no better way of honoring her than by following her example.

She was an extremely strong, Christian matriarch of the family and leaves her children, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews with the knowledge that they were truly loved and they know that she loved the Lord with all of her heart. Her love for all was clear in every interaction with her and it is what will get us through this time of sadness. We should all take great comfort in knowing that right now, she is with Efraim in Heaven and they are sitting at the right hand of God honoring Him and also retelling all of the humorous stories that have kept us laughing over the years.

We love you with all of our hearts, Neomi aka Mom, Mommy, Auntie, Elisa, Sis. What an AMAZING force you were!

Survivors include her son, Jonathan Medina of Dallas, Texas, her daughter, Christina Baranga of Dallas, Texas, her 3 brothers and 2 sisters, several nieces and nephews, and numerous close friends.