Elva Acosta

Elva Acosta embodied the phrase Never met a stranger, with her warm smiles and chistes, or jokes. Most of all, she had the rare and ineffable ability to convey, without saying much at all, how special you are.

If you had a problem, she would tell you she’d pray for you. If you were family, you were part of her daily prayers. If you were happy, she’d make sure you knew she was happy, too.

Surrounded by family, Elva passed away on July 10. She was 94 years old.

Born on Feb. 3, 1932, she was the third of five daughters to Daniel and Agustina Gonzalez, living in Rancho Nuevo, Coahuila, Mexico. All but one of the daughters would relocate to the U.S.

Before she emigrated, she graduated at 18 years old from the English Commercial Institute in Monterrey, Mexico, where she learned English, stenography, and other secretarial skills.

Her career began as a bilingual secretary in Eagle Pass, Texas. She later became the prominent local merchant of a furniture store, as well as a salesperson at a jewelry store where she excelled because she was so adored. She also produced and announced Spanish-language radio commercials. She worked many years of her life to help support her family.

Elva met her husband, Daniel Acosta, in the Mexican border town of Piedras Negras. They ultimately settled in Eagle Pass, and built a happy 50-year marriage together, raising five children.

Elva became a U.S. citizen in 1963. A devout Catholic, she tried never to miss a Sunday mass. But her proudest achievement was no doubt her family.

She and Daniel moved to Austin in 1991 to start the next chapter of their lives together as doting grandparents.

Perhaps her biggest legacy is the life of love she led. To know Elva, or Nana as her grandkids called her, was to love her — and to be loved back, boundlessly and endlessly.

It was a hallmark of her innate ability to bring people together that her children and their families have gathered around the table at her Austin home, laughing and swapping stories, for nearly every holiday and countless days in between — a 34-year tradition. Elva and her sisters, along with each of their extended families, would also meet for family reunions across the U.S. every other year.

Elva is survived by four of her children — Bonnie Cedillo, Daniel Acosta Jr., Nancy Auber, and José Acosta — and 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Daniel Acosta, and her eldest son, Ronnie Acosta.

Visitation will be held at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home & Cemetery in Pflugerville from 5 to 7 p.m. on July 16, followed by the rosary at 7 p.m. at the same location.

A funeral mass will take place at 10 a.m. the next day, July 17, at Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church in Austin. The committal will be at noon on July 17 at Austin Memorial Park.