Sara Lilia Castaneda, 95, passed away on October 30, 2026. Born on July 14, 1931, in Laredo, Texas, Sara graduated high school and built a life centered on home and family, serving devotedly as a mother and housewife. Wherever Sara went, she brought a spark that will be missed deeply.
To know Sara was to know laughter close at hand. She had a gift for turning ordinary moments into something brighter; always outgoing, always quick with humor, and still wonderfully spunky at 95. Sara was, quite simply, the life of the party everywhere she went, a warm presence who helped others feel at ease and made gatherings feel complete.
Sara was preceded in death by her loving husband of 71 years, Alfonso Castaneda, Jr.; her mother and father, Paulita and Eligio Cantu; her sisters, Amelia Cantu, Dora Garza, Amparo Gonzalez, Rosa Donovan, Ticha Gutierrez, and Pauline Cantu; her brothers, Nestor Cantu, Rosendo Cantu, and Margarito Cantu; and her grandson, Alfonso Castaneda, IV.
Sara is survived by her daughter, Maria C. Baggerley (Alan); her son, Alfonso Castaneda, III (Blanca); her son, Rodolfo Castaneda (Nancy); her grandchildren, Michael and Joey Pallotta, Michelle Fuller (Scott), Danny Beltran (Jennifer), Mark Abston, Jr., and Bill Abston (Jackie); her great-grandchildren, Destiny Ortiz (Alberto), Brianna Pallotta (Adrian), Amber Field, Lindsay and Ryan Pallotta; and her great-great-grandchildren, Delilia and Aiden Ortiz, and Oliver Ortiz.
Visitation will be held at Grand View Funeral Home & Memorial Park/Bethany Cemetery, Yellow Rose Chapel, 8501 Spencer Highway, Pasadena, Texas 77505, on November 5, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and again on November 6, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will follow on November 6, 2026, at 12:00 pm at the same location. Immediately following, she will be laid to rest at Grand View Memorial Park.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dogwood Trails, Solaris Hospice, Todi Auker, RN, MSN, and Kaitlyn, RN, for their care, kindness, and support during this most difficult time.
