María de la Luz Duran

Although María was born in the capital of San Luis Potosí, she grew up for 10 years in San Felipe, in the state of Guanajuato, which is located about 60 miles south of San Luis Potosí.

As the second eldest in the family, María began working at the age of 12 years. Consequently, she had no schooling and helped her parents by working in field work and handing over her earnings to her parents for household needs and support. Later in life, María learned to read and write on her own.

In the mid 1940’s, María with her father and brother Joaquin, ventured to Reynosa Mexico to work in the US in field work; they crossed into the US and had no trouble finding work picking cotton and harvesting various vegetables, and hoeing and weeding crops. It was in field work in the early 1950’s that María met Ladislao, her soul mate of 72 years in marriage.

Getting married was not easy, being that María’s father (Ignacio) was very protective over Maria and her father always made sure Maria was always kept watch by himself or her brother. Being a fast worker, María outdid everyone in field work, and Ladislao waited for the perfect timing to deliver a love note to María; he rolled up a message in a cotton ball and placed it in María’s path for her to pick up from the cotton plants, and we can only guess what the note read.

Ladislao convinced his father to approach Ignacio and asked for her hand in marriage but Ignacio refused twice, prompting Ladislao and María to elope and quickly married in August 13, 1952 in Raymondville TX.

Later in the mid 1950’s, Ladislao Jr was born in Weslaco TX and shortly thereafter, María returned to Reynosa Mexico to care for her first born; she remained in Reynosa raising the growing family of three (Jr, Ezequiel, & Mary) and in 1965 María returned the US with legal residency and reunited with her husband in Weslaco.

In the early 1970’s María & family ventured north for a series of years in seasonal work and worked in the fields weeding sugar beets and harvesting fruits and vegetables; the family diligently returned every year for the seasonal work for a good ten years and were able to earn enough money to purchase their first and only home in Weslaco.

In the 1980’s and through the 1990’s, María worked in vegetable processing warehouses, sorting and packing citrus and vegetables; María also worked a good ten years as a seamstress at the Hagar’s clothing company in Weslaco.

After her many years of work, María kept active by serving as a senior companion helping the elderly by providing home care services, on a volunteer basis, as well as keeping company to the many adult clients she was able to serve. María served for a good 20 years as a volunteer under the senior companion program. In the course of her volunteer service, she was awarded several service awards, including presidential certificates, and so we can say María was an exemplary citizen in her community considering she had no education.

The LORD blessed María with a long life of 93 years. Earlier this year, her husband of 72 years was in hospice for 75 days, and María was there at his bedside every single day until he passed in March 4, 2026. María’s siblings who preceded her are: Antonia, Manuel and Joaquin Rivera.

María is survived by her beloved family: Ezequiel & Esperanza, Ramiro & Yolanda, Jaime & Sherry; Edna & Juan, and Leticia & James; grandchildren: Guadalupe Jr, Dianne, James, Selina, Chelsea, Elaina, Lucas, Zachary, Sutton, Mark Anthony, and Cynthia; great-grand children: Jonathan, Juliana, Jada, James Jr, Christopher, Guadalupe, Kristina, Major, and David James.

In behalf of María, the family thanks the extended family and friends and acquaintances for their prayers and support. Narcisa Ortiz, María’s neighbor of many years, always kept an eye on María and even cooked meals for her and the family, especially in the last few weeks of her life. Bertha Mauricio, her neighbor across, also visited and encouraged María and the family is grateful Maria was surrounded by such loving neighbors.

The family is also grateful and thanks Vida De Paz Hospice Services and staff for their services and home care. María attended El Club Adult Day Care Center in Weslaco for 10 years, and the family thanks the Center’s staff for their care, love, and support towards Maria, Ladislao, and the Durán family.

Last but not least, the family thanks Shalom Home Care Services and Mari Carreon for providing many hours of home care services to María. Mari Carreon went beyond her call of duty and spent many entire nights attending to María. The family is also grateful for the hospice care and attention provided to Maria by the Staff at Aurora House in Weslaco in her last days of life.

God’s Holy Scriptures tell us in Galatians 6:7-9, “ what we sow is what we reap;” María sowed many years of companionship and care as a volunteer in the Senior Companion Program, and at the graceful age of 93, María reaped loving companionship and care in her final days at home, again thanks to Mari Carreon and Narci Ortiz, her lifetime loving neighbor and good friend.

As a final testament of María’s unwavering faith in God, she seldom made reference to others about her strong belief in God. Instead, she testified with her actions by loving her neighbors and family. María always made it a point to bless her children; after every phone call or visit, she would give her blessing by saying: “May the Lord bless you and protect you and keep you safe.” Those few words as a spoken blessing will forever be recorded in heaven and in the hearts of her family and friends.

María De La Luz Rivera Durán, a good and faithful wife, mother, and servant, may the LORD welcome you into His Presence and may the LORD Bless you with joy everlasting. Thank you for your unwavering love, faithfulness, and diligence.