Beatrice Esquivel Vasquez

Beatrice Esquivel Vasquez, devoted wife of over 60 years to Lee Vasquez (previously deceased) and mother of eight surviving children, born on February 12, 1938, to Pablo A. Esquivel and Maria Q. Cedillo in Austin, peacefully departed on December 19, 2021, at the age of 83, after a bout with pneumonia.

She attended Palm Elementary and Allan Jr. High; many years later attaining her GED. Her surviving siblings are Paul (Francis), Linda, Roy (Lenora) and Rick.

“Bea” held various jobs for short periods of time, helping to make ends meet. But her preference was to be home, centering her life on her husband and their children: Angelita, Adella, Arthur, (Virginia), Albert, (Trisha) Anita, Anthony, (Sabrina), Andrew, (Hayde), Alice; also a stepson Margarito Rivera (Janie), and stepdaughter Irene Damas (Joaquin). She is preceded in death by her son Edward, her daughters Arlene and Aileen, and stepson Carlos Juarez (Willene).

She tirelessly and lovingly gave of herself, helping them to better their lives, inspiring them to realize their dreams, to celebrate their achievement, graciously providing whatever help they needed along the way. With her 34 grandkids, who brought her much joy ( and who gave her 23 great grand babies) she started another chapter of motherhood, her heart and her front door always open, loving them as her very own, even helping to raise a few of them. She liked to make tamales at Christmastime in her younger years. Everyone loved them because they were the best! In the 80’s, she actually took 2nd prize at The Tamale Cook-off in Austin! Her homemade tortillas got eaten as quickly as she could make them. Her breakfast potatoes, were always perfect and always a staple.

A devout Catholic, she was a woman of deep faith, who had an active prayer life and attended mass regularly. She liked to go dancing with her husband; to read when she found the time, or to watch a novella on rare occasions. Dominoes were a favorite game, one that she would win often. She travelled to China in the late “90’s”, living there for about a year with her son Albert and his family. She regularly took summer vacations to Cozumel, Mexico, with her son “Artie” and his family; and on a few occasions accompanied her daughter Anita and family on their annual South Padre Island vacation. After she lost her husband in 2016, she continued to live in her own home of over 50 years, in Travis Heights, with Angie; then with “Tony” (and his wife), respectively.