Josefina Casares Rocha was born August 5, 1940 and died July 14, 2019 in Weslaco, TX. The eldest of 3 children, she spent her childhood on Los Torritos Street near her grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. She graduated from St. Joan of Arc Catholic School and Weslaco High School.
She worked at Wellsworth Five and Dime and then Badger Studio on Texas Avenue where she enjoyed working for Ira and Florence Badger. It was there that she mastered the art of transparent coloring for portraits. She colorized the black and white portraits of the Knapps that are displayed in the lobby of the Knapp Medical Center.
It was at the back doors of Badger’s where she first saw her future husband. Jose M. Rocha was at the back doors KRGV television studio when she noticed his bright socks. He smiled and waved. She returned the wave. A first coffee date at Butt’s Drug Store led eventually to a proposal. National Guard duty took Jose to Fort Polk for a year. He would write her letters that would be delivered by Mr. Lino Milano. Josefina would track down Mr. Milano around the neighborhood daily checking for a new letter. Mr. Milano finally resorted to separating any letters from her fiancé and holding them on the vehicle dashboard especially for her.
Josefina and Jose were married at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in 1963 and soon had a family of three sons. Their family grew over the years and were proud grandparents of six loving grandchildren.
Josefina was known by several names. To her siblings, she was Mana. To her close family, she was Fina. As a student, she was Josephine. To her coworkers of over 20 years with the Weslaco Independent School District, she was Josie. Most dear to her heart was the name she received when she became a grandmother – Zema.
Her grandchildren were her pride, her vitamins, her joy and her devotion. Michael, Maria, Dominic, Jax, Felicity and Will loved Zema and her laughter, her cookies, her hugs, her stories, her phone calls and her prayers. They will always be protected by her love.
Josefina is preceded in death by her parents, Isidro and Higinia Casares; her in-laws, Candelario and Concepcion Rocha; sister, Bertha Casares Ayala; daughter-in-law, Michelle Ortega Rocha; siblings-in-law Marcelina Rocha and Norberto Rocha; and her niece Christy Rocha and nephew Richard Ayala.
She is survived by Jose M. Rocha, her husband of 56 years. He truly fulfilled his wedding vows though good and bad times, through sickness and health, in times of plenty and of not, and until only death separated them. Also surviving are sons Ruben Rocha, Mario (Sarah Stivison) Rocha, Jaime (Melinda Perez) Rocha. Her grandchildren are Michael James Rocha, Maria Therese Rocha, Dominic Isidro Rocha, Jax Ambrose Rocha, Felicity Grace Rocha and William Declan Knight. Her surviving brother is Augustine A. (Alicia Mora) Casares. She will be missed by her numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
If you are so moved, in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Parkinson’s Foundation (https://www.parkinson.org/) or to the American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/).
Funeraria Del Angel-Highland Funeral Home of Weslaco is in charge of arrangements.
Visitation will be Wednesday, July 17, from 1 PM to 9 PM. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home Thursday, July 18, at 10 AM.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18