Raquel G. Villegas

Raquel G. Villegas, age 82, passed away on October 1, 2026. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and the heart of a family who loved her more than words could ever express.

She was the beloved wife of Esau Y. Villegas Sr., and together they shared something truly special - a love story that was written by God and lived one day at a time.

Raquel was also a cancer survivor. She faced that difficult chapter of her life with remarkable courage, strength, faith, and determination. Her victory over cancer became another testament to the resilient spirit that defined her life. Even in the face of hardship, she continued to put her family first, to love deeply, and to trust in God.

A Love Story Meant to Last Forever

Our mom and dad had the greatest love story. Their love was more than simply being husband and wife. They were best friends, partners, companions, and each other's greatest source of strength.

They shared a lifetime of memories, joys, challenges, sacrifices, laughter, and countless moments that made their life together uniquely theirs.

Mom was our dad's soul mate. She was the person he could always count on, the one who knew his heart, stood beside him, believed in him, and loved him unconditionally. She wasn't simply the woman he married - she was the woman who completed his life.

Through all the years they shared, their love remained a beautiful example of what marriage can be when two people give their hearts completely to one another. They built a family together, but even more importantly, they built a lifetime together.

When you saw Mom and Dad together, you could see that they weren't simply two people who had grown old together. They had grown together.

Mom was our dad's home. And although she has gone home to Heaven, a part of her will forever remain beside him - in his heart, in their memories, and in the life they built together.

We find comfort believing that the love they shared on Earth is not finished. It is simply waiting for the day when they are reunited again in Heaven.

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

The Heart of Our Family

To her children - Esau Villegas (Carmen), Mario Villegas (Stephanie), Veronica, and Yvette Waychus (Douglas) - Mom was so much more than a mother. She was their greatest source of love, strength, comfort, and guidance.

Raquel was preceded in death by her daughter, Veronica V. Villegas, and by her father and mother, Alfonso and Reyes Gutierrez. Her beloved daughter Veronica passed away in 1993 and remained forever a part of Raquel's heart and her family.

Raquel was the hub that kept our family together. She was the person who brought everyone home, brought everyone together, and made family feel like the most important place in the world.

Where Mom was, there was home. Her home was more than a house - it was a place where love lived.

Her love was unwavering. She spent her life putting the well-being and happiness of her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren before her own. She gave without expecting anything in return. She worried about everyone, prayed for everyone, and loved everyone with a heart that seemed to have no limits.

Her Family, Her Greatest Legacy

She was a proud grandmother to Victoria Villegas, Ariel Villegas, Andrew Waychus, Gregory Waychus, Hugo Waychus, Steven Montoya, Adrian Montoya, and Angela Ortega.

She was blessed with great-grandchildren whom she loved dearly: Zach Waychus, Evangeline, and Mary Ann Sosa-Rountree.

Raquel is also survived by her brothers Alfonso Gutierrez (Espy), Philip Gutierrez, and Avelino Gutierrez (Julie), and her sister Guadalupe Borunda. The bonds of family were precious to Raquel, and the love shared with her brothers and sister was part of the rich story of her life.

To her family, she leaves something more precious than anything money could ever buy - the legacy of her love.

Her family will remember her in a thousand different ways: in the sound of her voice, in the warmth of her hugs, in the wisdom of her words, in family gatherings, in traditions, in photographs, and in the countless memories she created throughout her 82 years.

But perhaps the greatest way Raquel will be remembered is by the way she made people feel loved.

She had a beautiful soul. We truly believe that Raquel was heaven sent. God blessed our family with her, and for 82 years she gave us a love that will never be replaced.

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed.” - Proverbs 31:28

A Faithful Journey Home

We are blessed that God chose her to be our mother. Blessed that she was our family's heart. Blessed that she loved us so completely. Blessed that we were able to call her Mom, Grandma, and Great-Grandma.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” - 2 Timothy 4:7

Those words carry special meaning for a woman who not only lived a life of faith, but who also fought and survived cancer with courage. We believe Raquel has finished her earthly journey and has been welcomed home to Heaven.

Although our hearts are broken because we can no longer see her, hold her, or hear her voice, we find comfort in God's promise:

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” - Revelation 21:4

Until We Meet Again

Mom, your children will carry you in their hearts. Your grandchildren will carry your love into the next generation. Your great-grandchildren will grow up knowing the story of the extraordinary woman whose love helped shape their family.

Your husband will carry the memories of the life you shared together - the woman who was his wife, his best friend, his greatest love, and his soul mate.

Your work here on Earth was never about yourself. Your greatest joy was seeing the people you loved happy. You gave your family your heart, your strength, your prayers, your sacrifices, and your unconditional love.

You were the heart of our family.

And when the heart of a family is gone, the family feels that emptiness deeply. But your love is still here. It is in us. It is in your husband. It is in your children. It is in your grandchildren. It is in your great-grandchildren. It is in your brothers and sister. It is in every memory we share and every story we tell.

A Final Message to Mom

Mom, we want you to know one thing above everything else:

“We loved you more than anything else in this world.” And we always will.

Thank you for being our mother. Thank you for being an incredible wife. Thank you for being Dad's soul mate. Thank you for being a grandmother and great-grandmother who loved her family beyond measure.

Thank you for every sacrifice, every prayer, every hug, every family gathering, and every moment you gave us. Thank you for showing us what unconditional love truly looks like. Thank you for showing us courage through your battle with cancer and for giving us an example of strength and faith that we will carry with us forever.

We will miss you more than words can ever express. But we will never stop loving you. We will never stop remembering you. And we will never stop being grateful that God gave you to us.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” - Psalm 23:6

REST PEACEFULLY, MOM.

Your earthly journey is complete. Your suffering is over. Your place in Heaven is waiting.

Someday, when God calls us home, we pray that you and Dad will be reunited once again in the presence of God, where there will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more goodbyes.

Until that glorious day...

We love you, Mom.

We miss you.

We will carry you with us every day.

OUR MOM • OUR GRANDMA • OUR GREAT-GRANDMA DAD'S SOUL MATE • THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE • THE HEART OF OUR FAMILY

Visitation will be held Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm, with a Rosary beginning at 7:00 pm at Funeraria del Angel Central, 3839 Montana Avenue.

Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 9:00 am at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1118 N Mesa Street, followed by burial at Fort Bliss National Cemetery, 5200 Fred Wilson Avenue at 11:00 am.