Sulema Esparza Arredondo

Sulema Esparza Arredondo, lovingly known as Sue and Suzie, was born on August 24, 1936, in Nixon, Texas, and died on October 29, 2026, at the age of 90. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Sue’s life was marked by compassion, devotion, and a tireless work ethic, qualities she carried with steady grace through every season of her calling and career. She was a devoted Christian and loved our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sue grew up in Nixon and graduated from Lamar High School in Rosenberg, Texas, in 1955. Her commitment to faith and service led her to the Latin American Council of Christian Churches seminary in Los Angeles, California, where she graduated in May 1958. Returning to Texas, she continued her education at Houston Vocational Technical School, completing her nursing studies in 1960, an early sign of the hard-working path she would follow for decades.

Sue came to know the Lord Jesus at a revival when she was a teenager, and she answered a call to ministry. She once said that the gospel of Jesus Christ was the most beautiful story she had ever heard. It was through her salvation that her mother came to know the Lord, and by the grace of God, the gospel spread throughout the entire family. After seminary, Sue became a well-known preacher with the Latin American Council, preaching and pastoring congregations in both California and Texas. She was known for her powerful sermons, and the Lord used her in a mighty way. Because of her faith in Jesus, a seed was planted that later led her brothers, Noe Sr. and Richard, and her nephew, Noe Jr., into ministry. In time, she stepped away from the Council and opened her own church in Houston, an expression of conviction and care that reflected how deeply she valued people and their spiritual lives.

Sue made sure the gospel was at the heart of her own home, too. Together with her husband, Arthur, she taught her children and grandchildren about the Lord, and today all of her children serve Him, many of her grandchildren are believers, and several of her great-grandchildren are following in their footsteps. Even after she stepped away from preaching, she never gave up her calling to minister to others and spread the gospel. She shared her faith with the doctors and nurses she worked beside and the neighbors and children near her home, and she kept sharing it for the rest of her life.

Sue spent nearly four decades as a nurse. She earned her LVN license through her training at St. Luke’s Hospital, and her work took her from Houston to Los Angeles and back, caring for seniors and patients at several hospitals. Her skill earned her a scholarship to pursue her RN studies, and she later joined Hermann Hospital, where she became an operating room nurse. There she trained under and worked alongside respected Houston physicians, including the legendary Dr. Red Duke, founder of Life Flight. She finished her career at Memorial Hermann and retired in 1998, remembered for the care she gave her patients.

Sue loved making things beautiful and bringing people together around good food. She was an outstanding cook, so good that her family often told her she should open a restaurant. She loved feeding her family, whether it was a big family gathering or a regular Sunday meal. She baked and decorated cakes, arranged flowers, and in 1980 opened her own shop in Manvel, Texas. She did it all herself: the cooking, the baking, and the flowers. Whatever she made, it brought comfort and celebration to the people who received it. And she loved to laugh. In a crowded room, her family would hear that laugh and say, “There’s Mom.”

Faith was at the center of Sue’s life, and her love for the Lord showed in everything she did. She and Arthur were members of Christian Temple for many years. In 2017 they joined North Central Church in Spring, Texas, under the leadership of Pastor Larry Emerson and Worship Pastor Steve Emerson, and remained members until her passing. Pastor Larry and Pastor Steve were not only her pastors but her dear friends, and she loved them as they loved her. Sue was part of the Women’s Ministry and visited the elderly in nursing homes and in their own homes, offering her time, encouragement, and compassion.

Sue and Arthur Bernal Arredondo were married in Houston on December 29, 1962. Arthur survives her, along with their children: Mario and his wife Robin, Carlos and his wife Laura, Orlando and his wife Pat, and Elizabeth Arredondo Reis and her husband Fernando. She is also survived by her 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, and by her younger brother, Reverend Richard Esparza, and his wife Eva. She leaves behind many nieces and nephews, along with a loving church family who will miss her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Facundo and Elizabeth Esparza; her brothers, Noe Esparza Sr. and Victoriano “Ray” Velez Esparza; and her granddaughter, Hannah Rose Arredondo.

Sue is loved by so many, and that love does not end. Though we miss her more than words can say, we rejoice in knowing she is in the presence of the Lord Jesus who she loved and served.

Visitation will be held at American Heritage Funeral Home, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038, on Monday, November 16, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm with a church service from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will be held at American Heritage Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm, with Pastor Larry Emerson and Worship Pastor Steve Emerson officiating. A Committal Service will follow at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038, on November 17, 2026, from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be made in Sue's name to Elijah Rising. Please use the following link to graciously donate in Sue's name: https://elijahrising.org/