Josefina E. Nieto

Josefina Escalante Martinez Nieto, of The Woodlands, Texas, passed peacefully and surrounded by her family on the afternoon of October 18, 2025, at 3:24 p.m., after a courageous battle that she faced with remarkable strength and grace. She was deeply loved, and her presence filled every room with warmth, grace, and strength.

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Where Her Story Began

Josefina Escalante Nieto was born on December 28, 1943, in Cerritos, a small town in the heart of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, to parents Regino Escalante and Basilia Martinez. From an early age, she learned the value of perseverance, compassion, and family—qualities that would define her throughout her life.

At the age of 23, Josefina married a young doctor, Felipe Nieto, and eventually moved to Texas, where she devoted herself to raising their sons, Luis and Robert. In 1975, their family was joyfully completed with the birth of their daughter, Christina (Christy). Despite personal loss and hardship, Josefina faced life’s challenges with quiet strength and deep faith. Her love for her children remained steadfast—the foundation upon which she built a life of resilience, kindness, and grace.

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A Life of Joy, Energy, and Compassion

Josefina had an extraordinary green thumb and created what many called her tropical paradise—a lush garden overflowing with color and life. Tending to her plants was more than a hobby; it was her therapy, her peace, and a reflection of her nurturing spirit.

Her compassion extended to all living creatures. She cared deeply for animals and often opened her home and heart to them—raising dogs, birds, turtles, and cats, and even leaving food for the raccoons and wildlife that visited her yard. Her empathy for life in all its forms was one of her most defining traits.

Though small in stature, Josefina was a force of nature. Recently described by loved ones as “a stick of dynamite,” she approached everything with remarkable energy and determination. Whether it was re-flooring parts of her house well into her seventies or climbing onto the roof to clean the gutters herself, she embodied independence and determination.

Her zest for life shone through in music and friendship. She was known to burst into spontaneous dance or song when traditional Mexican bolero music played, her laughter filling every room. Her circle of friends was wide and close-knit—women who traveled, danced, and shared countless meals together. Cooking was one of Josefina’s greatest joys and deepest expressions of love; she was famous for her meals that brought family and friends together around her table.

She also found comfort and strength in her faith. A devoted Catholic, she carried her beliefs with quiet conviction, grace, and gratitude.

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Family and Legacy

Family was at the center of everything Josefina did. She poured her heart into her children — Luis, Robby, and Christy — who were the pride and joy of her life. As a mother, she was both nurturing and strong, teaching by example what it meant to love deeply, work hard, and live with purpose.

Josefina was also a devoted and joyful grandmother, lovingly known as Abuelita to Erin, Jack, Josie, Lauren, Sophia, and Benjamin. Her great-grandchildren — Margot, Amelia, James, and Noah — brought her endless joy in her later years, and she cherished every moment spent watching the next generation grow.

To her family, Josefina was the heart of every gathering — the one who cooked the feasts, remembered every birthday, and made every house feel like home. Her legacy will live on in the laughter of her family, the recipes passed down through generations, her green thumb, and the resilience she instilled in all who knew her.

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A Life Remembered

Josefina was preceded in death by her parents and stepmother, and she is survived by her six siblings — Regino, Juanita, Lupita, Robert, Serapio, and Maria — as well as a large extended family and amazing friends who will forever cherish her memory.

She is also survived by her children, Luis and his wife Melea, Robert and his wife Lizeth, and Christy and her husband Eli; her grandchildren, Erin, Jack, Josie, Lauren, Sophia, and Benjamin; and her great-grandchildren, Margot, Amelia, James, and Noah. Each of them carries forward a part of her — her strength, her laughter, her warmth, and her love of life.

Josefina’s faith was her compass, and her garden was her sanctuary. She acted with care and patience, knowing that everything — plants, people, and hearts — could grow and bloom. Her presence will be deeply missed, yet her spirit will live on in the beauty she created, the kindness she shared, and the love she planted in the hearts of all who knew her.

Ay, ay, ay, ay! Canta no llores! Porque cantando se alegran, cielito lindo, los corazones!

Ay, ay, ay, ay! Sing and don’t cry! Because by singing, my pretty darling, hearts are made happy!

These simple, playful words from one of her favorite songs capture the lighthearted joy she brought to life — a reminder to find music, warmth, and wonder in the ordinary.

To celebrate and honor Josefina’s life, we ask that you wear bright, happy colors like she always loved and wore.