Elena Victoria Weibel

Elena Victoria Valls de Weibel, 93, of Concepcion, Chile, passed away on Friday, September 4, 2026 in Katy, Texas.

At the family’s request no funeral services will be held. A Buddhist prayer service will be offered in lieu of traditional Catholic rites. Cremation will follow with arrangements by Garden Oaks Funeral Home & Crematory.

Elena was born in Concepcion, Chile to Pedro Valls and Isidora Orias on May 26, 1933. She married Jorge Emilio Weibel M.D. on May 20, 1959. She followed her husband and his career and immigrated to the United States with his two children from his prior marriage and their newborn son in July 1961. They settled in Houston, Texas. She and her husband became matriarch and patriarch of the Chilean expat community in Houston for nearly 40 years. She was known for her beauty, grace, elegance, great party hostess and her humanitarian work helping victims of the 1985 earthquakes in Chile and Mexico City. She was involved in her work for children with special needs due to her daughter Andrea’s illness and was instrumental in the Houston Independent School District in amending their policies regarding special education and making their campuses more accessible for disabled students. A talented artist she studied with renown Spanish artist Pilar Cortella de Rubin. She and her husband were founding members of many Latin American cultural groups including The Institute of Hispanic Culture, Casa Argentina and Casa de Chile. Along with her husband and Luis Vergara and Carmen Vergara she formed The Chilean Folkloric Group in 1974 and spread Chilean culture and entertained for nearly 26 years. She supported her husband during his period as Houston’s Honorary Consul of Chile.

Elena is preceded in death by her husband Jorge Weibel M.D., her parents Pedro and Isidora Valls and her brother Ricardo Valls.

Elena is survived by her son Alexander Weibel, daughter Andrea Weibel stepson J. Erik Weibel M.D. and wife Judith Wartella; stepdaughter Sandra Weibel and husband Jorge Galatoire. The family of Elena wishes to extend our sincere thanks to staff of The Reserve at Katy for their lengthy care.