Valeria Mat Evatt

Valeria was born October 21, 1936, in Bentonville, Arkansas, the only child of John Mat Cawood and Sallie Mat Holland Cawood. She grew up in nearby Centerton, hanging out with her many cousins, listening to St. Louis Cardinals games on the radio at the post office with her postmaster dad, and doing chores to earn money for Coke floats.

Valeria graduated from Bentonville High School in 1954. After a short stint at business college, she went to work at Southwestern Bell in Tulsa. She married Bobby Harold Evatt in 1958, and later moved with him to Missouri, where they would spend almost two decades and where both their sons were born.

In 1978, the family moved to northeast Texas, where they remained until Bob retired from AT&T and they moved to the Río Grande Valley, where they already owned a small citrus grove. Valeria would spend some of the most professionally fulfilling years of her life here, keeping books for the family business and serving for several years on the state board of the Texas Pest Management Association and as chair of its local Integrated Pest Management Unit.

When Bob and Valeria retired from citrus farming, they moved to Harlingen, where they continued to enjoy the warm winters and the proximity to South Padre Island.

Valeria loved her family, reading, working crosswords, exploring the Valley’s endlessly varied Mexican restaurants, and following politics. A natural on the computer, she was active on social media and enjoyed corresponding by email with old and new friends across the country. In the last days of her life, weakened by age and illness, she rediscovered pleasures from her childhood: watching ball games and eating Coke floats.

Valeria Mat Cawood Evatt is survived by her husband of 64 years, Bobby Harold Evatt; by two sons, Jeffrey Michael Evatt of Harlingen and Matthew John Evatt of Tucson; and by two grandsons, Wyatt Mat Evatt and Hayes David Evatt, also of Tucson.

At Valeria’s request, no local services are planned. She will be remembered at a family gathering next spring. Donations in her name to the American Cancer Society or similar organizations are welcome.