Maria Elena Bustillos Pérez

She was born February 22, 1957 in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, México the first child of Miguel and Elva Bustillos.

She was preceded in death by her mother Elva Bustillos, father-in-law Moises Perez, two uncles Leonel and Octavio Caraveo, and by her cousin Cori Granado.

She will be lovingly remembered by Ricardo R. Pérez, her husband of 42 years, by her two children, their spouses, and their adopted son: Melissa Pérez-Halley & John Halley and Laura P. Kitten & Stephen Kitten, Zhechen Wang and four grandchildren Harrison & Gabriela Halley and Sloan & Madison Kitten.

She is also survived by her beloved father Miguel Bustillos, her mother-in-law Maria Ruedas, siblings and siblings-in-law Elizabeth and Fidel Quesada, Mike and Sylvia Bustillos, Dan and Christy Bustillos, Debora Perez Ruiz, Ruth and John Harriger, Mimi Martinez, and Emerald and Andy Bilbrey.

Mari is also survived by nieces and nephews who she treated as her own, they include: Bobby and Julie Quesada, Erika and Dennis Jamison, Melina and Israel Jaramillo, Esteban Bustillos, Daniela Bustillos, Elán Bustillos, Olivia Bustillos, Monica and Zack Barnard, Natalie Vanessa and Ryan Babineau, Hannah and Nathan Clark, Angela Harriger, Madelyn Harriger, Damon Martinez, Emerald Martinez, Sarah and Shawn McCracken, Hudson Bilbrey and Shea Oldham, and they will continue to carry on her legacy of love and service.

She will also be missed by her beloved aunts and uncles Mony Caraveo, Kathy Caraveo, and Louie and Susie Caraveo.

Mari was a professor of the Spanish language and literature at Lubbock Christian University for over 35 years. She instructed countless students who went on to teach innumerable other children and adults not only the beauty of the Spanish language, but the vast and deep splendor and complexity of the Hispanic culture. She treasured teaching, sharing knowledge, and spending time with those with a hunger for learning. Even after retirement Mari taught and tutored her grand-nieces and nephews, her surrogate grands Spur Turnbow, Enrique Cavazos, Evan and Grant Marin, and her fellow brothers and sisters in the church.

Along with this work and while raising her family, Mari delighted in serving others. She cooked, baked, helped organize Ladies’ Days, hosted family and church get-togethers, and worked diligently to make others feel special and loved on a daily basis. Mari loved her children deeply and was wholly dedicated to them. She taught them a love of God, the importance of education, and encouraged them to serve others as she did. In most recent years, Mari’s deepest passion was her profoundly loved grandchildren. Harrison, Sloan, and Gabi brought her chaos, laughter, and love every single day. She was their Mimi and Harrison’s Cutie Pie. She cared for them since their birth and showered them with everything she could, her wonderful food, toys, and countless snuggles. More than anything she was looking forward to meeting her fourth grandbaby Madison who is due in July.

Mari and Richard hosted international children from Christ the King’s exchange program for several years. Mari always reveled in cooking, teaching, and introducing the kids to American, Mexican, and Texan traditions. From this enriching experience Mari and Richard developed a beautiful, deep, and ultimately parental role in Zhechen’s life. The whole family now considers him an integral part of their life and it is due in large part to the love and service that she poured into him on a daily basis.

At the core of Mari’s drive and motivation was her love of Christ. Her church families at Colgate Church of Christ for over 40 years and her more recently found Church of Christ in Champions were just another family for her to care for, love, and serve. She did this diligently, with all her heart. She is ending her life with a last grand act of selflessness by donating her organs to save multiple people and improve the quality of life for many others.

Her family will always remember her love and laughter as well as how brilliant, hard-working, and giving Mari was. Nonetheless, the most enduring examples Mari left everyone in her family were and will be her faith in the Lord and the love she always showed them.