1930
Clara
2011
Clara Zepeda
August 22, 1930 — May 1, 2011
San Juan, TX- Clara Bow Williams Zepeda passed away peacefully on May 1, 2011 in Austin, Texas.
Clara was born in Brownsville on August 22, 1930 at the former Fort Brown Army Hospital. Her parents were Frank Williams Sr. and Andrea Lopez Williams.
Clara was a graduate of Brownsville High School and went on to study at Texas Southmost College. While attending TSC, Clara was voted Most Beautiful, an honor that many said she well deserved. Clara then attended and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin where she was chosen to be one of the Blue Bonnet Belles. Only the most beautiful coeds on campus were chosen for this elite title and Clara easily made it into the ranks. While in college Clara became a model and posed for Coca Cola advertisements and for the Cotton industry.
Clara spent her life doing something she loved very much, teaching. Clara completed her education when she received a Masters degree in Education from the former Pan American University, now the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg.
Clara began her teaching career as a young woman at La Encantada Elementary School in El Ranchito. It was there she met her future husband, Gilberto (Beto) Zepeda Sr. who was a Riverside school district board member. Beto interviewed the lovely young lady, hired her and wasted no time in asking for her hand in marriage which lasted 51 years.
Clara continued her career as a teacher in San Benito and taught in classrooms at Fred Booth and San Benito High School. She later found her calling as a Special Education teacher at Landrum, Callendret and Miller Jordan. Clara later became a diagnostician, supervisor and ultimately the Director of the Special Education Department. She retired after 42 years, but went to work again with the Education homebound/pregnancy program for four years.
To her family and friends, Clara was known as the historian. She and Beto read practically every book about Texas and Mexico history. In fact, Clara was the first president of the San Benito Historical Society. She loved researching and giving presentations to organizations and schools on Texas history, particularly on the Spanish Land Grants, the Battle for Texas Independence, the King Ranch and the Texas Rangers. Her library was filled with books, files and boxes full of information on the history of Texas. Clara also took the time to teach school children and adults about the Hispanic traditions such as La Pastorela, Christmas and Easter traditions. Teaching local culture was very important to Clara. Her annual Easter egg hunts are legend now to all of the nieces and nephews and their children. Clara would paint cascarones year round. The cascarones were so beautiful and unique no one wanted to crack them!
She loved gardening and bird watching and would often sit outside in the cool of the evening to watch nature. She was very creative and had the ability to transform something ordinary into a beautiful work of art. Clara’s talent was well known and she was asked to design a Texas Capitol Christmas ornament.
Clara was very active in many organizations. Some of those include the Pan American Round Table, the San Benito Library, the Catholic Daughters, Caminos Del Rio, the Cameron County Historical Society, TSTA, TCASE and the PTA.
One of the highlights of her life was traveling with the Catholic Daughters to Jerusalem for the Jubilee celebration.
During the summer, Clara and most of the Williams clan would spend time on South Padre Island, a place she loved dearly. These are cherished memories for those who were able to spend time with her there.
Anyone who had the chance to know Clara will always remember her beautiful green eyes, her enthusiastic smile and her kindness. A lovely woman with a lovely heart.
Clara is preceded in death by her husband, Gilberto Zepeda Sr.; and her son, Carlos Zepeda; her parents, Frank Williams Sr. and Andrea Lopez Williams; and by her brothers, Frank Williams Jr., David Williams, Robert Williams and Charley Williams; and her sister Dora Williams Sosa.
She is survived by her children Gilberto Zepeda Jr. (Marisela) of San Juan; Diana Villalobos (Jesse) of Kyle, Texas; and her grandchildren, Gilberto Zepeda III, Jacqueline Zepeda, Nicole Zepeda and Andrea Villalobos; and her sister, Virginia Williams Palafox of El Paso.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 from 3:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. with a Holy Rosary recited at 7:00 P.M. at San Benito Funeral Home.
Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Theresa Catholic Church in San Benito. Interment will follow to Zepeda Cemetery in El Ranchito.
Pallbearers will be Gilberto Zepeda III, Frank Sosa, Fernando Palafox, Joseph Williams, Jesus Villalobos, and Luis Sanchez.
You are invited to leave condolences to the family of Clara Zepeda at www.sanbenitofuneralhome.com
Funeral arrangements are under the care of San Benito Funeral Home, 1400 W. Highway 77, San Benito, TX (956) 361-9192.
Clara was born in Brownsville on August 22, 1930 at the former Fort Brown Army Hospital. Her parents were Frank Williams Sr. and Andrea Lopez Williams.
Clara was a graduate of Brownsville High School and went on to study at Texas Southmost College. While attending TSC, Clara was voted Most Beautiful, an honor that many said she well deserved. Clara then attended and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin where she was chosen to be one of the Blue Bonnet Belles. Only the most beautiful coeds on campus were chosen for this elite title and Clara easily made it into the ranks. While in college Clara became a model and posed for Coca Cola advertisements and for the Cotton industry.
Clara spent her life doing something she loved very much, teaching. Clara completed her education when she received a Masters degree in Education from the former Pan American University, now the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg.
Clara began her teaching career as a young woman at La Encantada Elementary School in El Ranchito. It was there she met her future husband, Gilberto (Beto) Zepeda Sr. who was a Riverside school district board member. Beto interviewed the lovely young lady, hired her and wasted no time in asking for her hand in marriage which lasted 51 years.
Clara continued her career as a teacher in San Benito and taught in classrooms at Fred Booth and San Benito High School. She later found her calling as a Special Education teacher at Landrum, Callendret and Miller Jordan. Clara later became a diagnostician, supervisor and ultimately the Director of the Special Education Department. She retired after 42 years, but went to work again with the Education homebound/pregnancy program for four years.
To her family and friends, Clara was known as the historian. She and Beto read practically every book about Texas and Mexico history. In fact, Clara was the first president of the San Benito Historical Society. She loved researching and giving presentations to organizations and schools on Texas history, particularly on the Spanish Land Grants, the Battle for Texas Independence, the King Ranch and the Texas Rangers. Her library was filled with books, files and boxes full of information on the history of Texas. Clara also took the time to teach school children and adults about the Hispanic traditions such as La Pastorela, Christmas and Easter traditions. Teaching local culture was very important to Clara. Her annual Easter egg hunts are legend now to all of the nieces and nephews and their children. Clara would paint cascarones year round. The cascarones were so beautiful and unique no one wanted to crack them!
She loved gardening and bird watching and would often sit outside in the cool of the evening to watch nature. She was very creative and had the ability to transform something ordinary into a beautiful work of art. Clara’s talent was well known and she was asked to design a Texas Capitol Christmas ornament.
Clara was very active in many organizations. Some of those include the Pan American Round Table, the San Benito Library, the Catholic Daughters, Caminos Del Rio, the Cameron County Historical Society, TSTA, TCASE and the PTA.
One of the highlights of her life was traveling with the Catholic Daughters to Jerusalem for the Jubilee celebration.
During the summer, Clara and most of the Williams clan would spend time on South Padre Island, a place she loved dearly. These are cherished memories for those who were able to spend time with her there.
Anyone who had the chance to know Clara will always remember her beautiful green eyes, her enthusiastic smile and her kindness. A lovely woman with a lovely heart.
Clara is preceded in death by her husband, Gilberto Zepeda Sr.; and her son, Carlos Zepeda; her parents, Frank Williams Sr. and Andrea Lopez Williams; and by her brothers, Frank Williams Jr., David Williams, Robert Williams and Charley Williams; and her sister Dora Williams Sosa.
She is survived by her children Gilberto Zepeda Jr. (Marisela) of San Juan; Diana Villalobos (Jesse) of Kyle, Texas; and her grandchildren, Gilberto Zepeda III, Jacqueline Zepeda, Nicole Zepeda and Andrea Villalobos; and her sister, Virginia Williams Palafox of El Paso.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 from 3:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. with a Holy Rosary recited at 7:00 P.M. at San Benito Funeral Home.
Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Theresa Catholic Church in San Benito. Interment will follow to Zepeda Cemetery in El Ranchito.
Pallbearers will be Gilberto Zepeda III, Frank Sosa, Fernando Palafox, Joseph Williams, Jesus Villalobos, and Luis Sanchez.
You are invited to leave condolences to the family of Clara Zepeda at www.sanbenitofuneralhome.com
Funeral arrangements are under the care of San Benito Funeral Home, 1400 W. Highway 77, San Benito, TX (956) 361-9192.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Clara Zepeda, please visit our flower store.