Maria del Rosario (Gallegos) Tijerina

Maria del Rosario “Mary” Tijerina, peacefully passed to eternal life on December 4, 2020.  She was born in San Benito, Texas and was the daughter of the late Guadalupe Gallegos and Francisca Olivarez Gallegos.

Mary was a proud graduate of San Benito High School, Class of 1958.  She attended Texas Southmost College in Brownsville and became a Licensed Vocational Nurse.  She continued her studies toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

She was a longtime employee of the Cameron County Health Department, retiring after 38 years of faithful service.  Mary also used her healthcare skills as an Infirmary Nurse with the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department, with Valley Baptist Medical Center, and with various local nursing homes and adult day care centers after her retirement from the Cameron County Health Department.

She was very involved in PTA/PTO throughout her children’s education.  Mary attended football games and many other of her children’s extracurricular activities.  She was a member of the San Benito Historical Society and was instrumental in the completion of the San Benito Historical Book by providing photographs and information from knowledge she gained from her mother, Francisca Gallegos, about Old San Benito.

Mary was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church.  She helped in the start of the Catholic Daughters charter and a member since 1994. She found great joy in helping at church functions.

Mary enjoyed spending time with her friends going shopping, eating out at restaurants throughout the Valley, attending prayer meetings, going to the movies, and watching her favorite NFL team – the Dallas Cowboys.

Left to treasure Mary’s memory are her children, Marina (Joe, Jr.) de la Fuente, Xavier Alejandro (Lillila) Tijerina, Miguel Antonio “Tony” (Angela) Tijerina; grandchildren, Adriana, Veronica, Vincent, Laura, Melody, Andrew, Madison, Mackenzie, Joe III, Elida Rosario, and Nicholas.  She is also survived by her sisters, Maria Irma Gallegos, Hortencia (José) Rodriguez; and sister-in-law, Odilia Gallegos.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Guadalupe and Francisca O. Gallegos; and her brothers, Jesús Gallegos and José Gallegos.

The Tijerina family will receive friends and relatives on Thursday, December 10, 2020 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at San Benito Funeral Home.  A recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin at 7 o’clock on Thursday evening. (Click on the link below to view a live-stream of the recitation of the Holy Rosary service.) Funeral services for Maria del Rosario Tijerina will conclude on Thursday evening.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to San Benito Funeral Home, 1400 W. Business 77, San Benito, Texas 78586.  956.275.3475 www.sanbenitofuneralhome.com

All guests must wear a facial covering and practice social distancing while visiting the funeral home.  Gifts of food are not being accepted at the funeral home at this time.