Epifania Velez Ramirez

January 19, 1919 – March 1, 2016

Epifania V. Ramirez went home to the Lord on March 1, 2016. She was 97 years old. She lived a beautiful life surrounded by a growing family who deeply loved her. Eppie, as she was affectionately called, was born in San Antonio, Texas on January 19, 1919 to Maricario and Maria Velez. She had one brother and four sisters. As a child, Eppie was a member of the Children of Mary at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church and sang in the choir. As a young adult, she worked shelling pecans at a pecan factory and assembling boxes at a box factory.

On May 12, 1946, she married her childhood sweetheart Feliciano Ramirez, affectionately called Chano, at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. In marriage, Eppie stayed at home to raise their three boys while Chano worked as a carpenter and a painter. Eppie loved to garden and her lush flowerbeds showed her skilled green thumb. She also loved cooking and baking, especially her delicious tamales and pies during the holidays. After their sons were grown and started their own families, Eppie and Chano began selling refurbished goods at the flea market. They loved spending time together and loved seeing their grandchildren. In 1996, they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary as their family continued to grow with more grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In her later years, Eppie courageously overcame health obstacles, including breast cancer and heart bypass surgery. After Chano passed in 2009, Eppie found comfort and strength in her family and friends. She enjoyed visiting with loved ones, reminiscing on the past, and watching TV, especially Spanish novellas and the Mass. She passed peacefully in her bed with a rosary in hand and now enjoys eternal joy with Chano.

She is survived by her three sons, Henry (Norma) Ramirez, Reyes (Christine) Ramirez, and Juan (Yvonne) Ramirez; her grandchildren, Michael (Melissa) Ramirez, Charles Ramirez, John Ramirez, Jennifer Ramirez, Angelica Ramirez, Laura (Roman) Ramos, Felix (Christina) Cruz, Jennifer (Allen) Salmons, Holly (Shawn) Ramirez-McGaha, Jonathan Ramirez, and numerous great-grandchildren; and her siblings Maria Bueno and Trinidad Bernal.

She is preceded in death by her husband Feliciano Ramirez, her siblings Antonio Velez, Juanita Reyes, and Tomasita Orta, and her parents Maricario and Maria Velez. A visitation will begin on the evening of Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. with a rosary to be recited that same evening at 7:00 pm at Trevino Funeral Home at 226 Cupples Rd. A funeral procession will depart the funeral home on Wednesday March 9, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. for a Mass of the Resurrection at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church at 11:30 a.m. Interment to follow at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery at 1:00 p.m.