Esther (Ester) R Perez

HARLINGEN, TEXAS - Esther (Ester) Romero Perez, 50, a kind soul, loving mother and devoted wife passed away on February 21, 2022 at Harlingen Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas. She was born on July 28, 1971 and is preceded in death by her mother, Isabel Romero and father, Claudio Romero. She is survived by her husband Edwardo Perez, her son Romeo Perez, her daughter Mixtli Perez, 3 fur babies: Sugar, Sammy, and Cookie; 6 siblings, nieces, nephews, and Godchildren from various areas of the United States of America.

Ester was a lifelong resident of Harlingen, Texas. She was a 16-year English Language Arts (ELA) Resource Teacher at Vernon Middle School (VMS) in Harlingen, with 2022 marking her 20th anniversary with the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (HCISD). She graduated from Harlingen High School in 1989 and obtained her Paraprofessional (Educational Aid 1) certificate in 1994. She began working for HCISD as a special education department secretary and, in December of 1998, was awarded the Associate in Applied Science in Criminal Justice with the goal of working alongside and on behalf of disadvantaged youth. She worked for Tamayo House in 1999 and the Texas Youth Commission in 2000 while pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (minor in Criminal Justice) at the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB), which was awarded to Ester in 2003. She earned her Special Education (Grades EC-12) Teaching Educator Certification (TEC) in July of 2008, and has been serving HCISD as a special education teacher since. Recently, Ester earned the distinction of Teacher of the Year for HCISD while working at Vernon Middle School in 2021.

As a respected member of the community, Ester Perez donated her time and shared her faith in God as a Catechism teacher at Queen of Peace Catholic church in Harlingen from 2014 to 2017. She found strength in the book of Esther 4:14, “You have been created to fulfill his purpose…For such a time as this,” and was an influential force to both students and family, consistently active in the spiritual and educational development of all who have had the privilege of being guided by her.

Her legacy is one of Faith, Hope and Love, and she embodied these three ideals throughout her life in the sacrifice of her earthly desires, and in the unconditional love she shared for others.

“We find solace in believing that Ester has moved beyond the physical to the most beautiful part of Heaven, now rejoices with the Angels, and has been reunited with her parents, whom she believed were ‘just on the other side.’ Ester, you are forever loved, and will continue to live on in your many lessons, in our hearts, forever more. We love and miss you para siempre. We look forward to seeing each other again.”

-Perez and Romero Family

We believe:

To everything there is a season- a time for every matter under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to keep and a time to cast away.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Just as God created Esther to accomplish his will and save her people,

You have been created to fulfill his purpose.. For such a time as this!

Influence your World!

Esther 4:14

Footprints:

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.

For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him,

and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,

he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path

of his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very

lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he

questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you,

you'd walk with me all the way.

But I have noticed that during the most

troublesome times in my life,

there is only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why when

I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child,

I love you and I would never leave you.

During your times of trial and suffering,

when you see only one set of footprints,

it was then that I carried you."

-As written by Mary Stevenson