Darrie Ann Villarreal

Darrie was welcomed into her eternal home with our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ on Monday, November 12, 2018. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family during a hospitalization for a disease, lung cancer, that she fought valiantly for 4 years.

She was born October 12, 1952, in Winnsboro, Texas and moved to Houston, Texas where she graduated from Smiley High School in 1971. She proudly served God all of her life while attending Stonewall First United Pentecostal Church in Houston, Texas, pastored by O.W. Williams and family. God and family was her life. Her granddaughters Juliette and Ava Villarreal were a wonderful blessing to her late in life that brought her great joy. She loved them more than life itself. Her greatest joy and accomplishment in this life were her sons Brian and Jonathan Villarreal. Not able to have children for the first eight years of marriage was disheartening, but God provided to us the blessing that only a mother can understand. We were truly blessed.

A longtime resident of Euless, Texas since September 1977. She attended the First United Pentecostal Church pastored by the Reverend J.C. Benson and his most gracious wife, Sharon Benson. Darrie was a current member of the Calvary Pentecostal Church in Euless, Texas pastored by the Reverend Carl McLaughlin and his wonderful wife Veta McLaughlin. Both pastors and wives have supported this family during those times that try mens souls. They were our strength and we love and respect them very much.

Darrie was such a blessing and much loved by the Villarreal family with wonderful memories of her and abuela (grandma) Hernandez attending church services before grandma's passing. She had such a love for Mom, Ophelia Briones, our family matriarch. She loved to reminisce about the wonderful times she spent with the family during the many christmases throughout the years. Her fondest memories were about the many nieces and nephews that she was able to care for and share some of their heartaches and disappointments during those early years.

Her lifelong family in Christ, Jean Clanton, Cathey Barfield and family, Paula Castleberry and family, Rita Chatelain and family, and Robert Clanton were her strength and joy throughout this journey called life. Thank you my family in Christ, I will always love you. Darrie and Cathey Barfield were truly sisters joined at the hip. Supporting one another throughout the years, their love and respect for each other was one for the books.

She was surrounded by many friends and church members, too many to mention here, who provided much prayer and support while battling her disease. The meals, gifts, visits and the offerings of support were very much apprecited. Joyce Graves and Rhonda Cain and family were a great source of strength during her struggle. Always encouraging her with gifts, flowers, food and pool parties. These were the things that she very much appreciated.

A famous eulogy once said, "and to those of us who loved her and who take her to her rest today, pray that what she was to us and what she wished for others will someday come to pass for all the world".

God bless you wife, mother, grandma. We will never forget you. We will love you forever and ever.

And as the Holy Scriptures declares: Well done thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the Joy of the Lord. You shall forever dwell in the presence of Jesus Christ our God and Saviour.

She is preceded in death by parents Claude Winchester and Annie Faye Womack and brother Danny Winchester. She is survived by husband Ernest Villarreal of 46 years, sons Brian David and Jonathan Brent Villarreal, granddaughters Juliette Diane Villarreal and Ava Scarlott Villarreal, brothers Andrew Claude Winchester, Billy Paul Winchester, Dale Womack, spouses and children. She also left to cherish her memory, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and many dear friends.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, our family requests that a contribution be made to Cancer Research in memory of Darrie Villarreal.

The family would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Vikas Aurora and all of the supporting staff at Texas Oncology in Grapevine Texas. The wonderful support and care that extended Darrie's life well beyond what was ever expected was amazing and appreciated. We would also like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to all of the doctors and nurses in the Baylor Grapevine ER, Cancer ward and ICU Unit that treated Darrie throughout these last 4 years. Thank you all for your kindness, love, compassion and most of all, the respect you gave freely.