Frances was born in Corpus Christi, Tx on October 4, 1937 to Moises Saldana and Sara Garcia Saldana and passed on October 25, 2019, at the age of 82. Frances was one of nine siblings. She graduated from Roy Miller High School in 1957 and pursued a career in nursing. Frances attended Del Mar College, becoming an LVN, and later graduating from San Antonio Community College, obtaining an Associate Degree in Nursing. She worked as a Registered Nurse in a variety of healthcare settings and specialties. She started her career working for the distinguished Dr. Hector P. Garcia and other healthcare settings in Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Austin. She eventually and reluctantly retired from nursing.
Frances was a member of the American G.I Forum (AGIF) an organization that was established in Corpus Christi in 1948 by Dr. Hector P. Garcia to address the concerns of Mexican American veterans and to focus on issues such as voting rights, educational desegregation and civil rights of all Mexican Americans. She advocated on behalf of all Hispanics. When an AGIF Junior Auxiliary was formed, she became the Chairwoman of the Corpus Christi Chapter. Frances never stopped advocating for Mexican American civil rights throughout her life.
Frances had many passions besides nursing; including dancing, traveling and reading. She was an excellent ballroom and country-western dancer, moving gracefully across any dance floor. Her greatest passion was the love she had for her children and grandchildren. Frances had many wonderful qualities and was a very strong and independent woman.
Frances was preceded in death by her parents, Moises and Sara Saldana, her brothers, Mike and David Saldana and by her sister Rebecca Yolanda Saldana Landa. She is survived by her four children, Linda Wollaston Ray (Bennie), Andres (Andy) DeLeon III (Crystal), Ernest DeLeon (Maria Isabel) and Jennyfur Ramirez (Bryan) and grandchildren, Lauren, Benjamin and Nicholas Wollaston, Andres DeLeon IV, Laura Villarreal, Edward DeLeon and Mathew and Taylor Ramirez, and great-grandsons, Alonso Rodriguez (AJ) and Andres DeLeon V. She is also survived by her loving brothers and sisters, Virginia Ortiz (Raul), Mary Alice Guerrero (Richard), Lucy Mondragon Edwards, Joe Frank Saldana (Oralia), Johnny Saldana and numerous nieces and nephews.
Many thanks to the excellent medical care she received at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center and the love, care and support of Hospice Austin, with special thanks to Christi Kremer, FNP, RN, Jacque Shroyer, RN, Stephanie Lomax, MSW, Ciara Washington, CNA and Chaplains Juan Maravilla and Linda McWhorter.
A Memorial Service will be held at Memory Gardens in Corpus Christi Texas on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
