Socorro Hercilia Leal, of Brownsville Texas, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend entered into peaceful eternal rest on January 18, 2024 at the age of 93 after a hard-fought battle with dementia.
Hercilia or “Lila” as she was lovingly called by those that knew her was born in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico but moved to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and consequently Brownsville, upon marrying the love of her life, Enrique. They were married for 63 years until his passing in 2014.
Hercilia was preceded in death by her parents Concepcion Flores Valdez and Ramon Flores De La Fuente, her husband Enrique Leal, her younger siblings Ramon Flores, Jesus Flores, Martha Torres, Concepcion Flores and Carmen Vasquez, and her beloved grandson Eric Michael Perez.
Hercilia lived a simple, hard-working and yet exceptional life as she had the hardest job of being a full-time housewife and mother to her seven children. Lila was an extraordinary independent woman of character, perseverance and intelligence. She instilled the highest life values, Catholic faith and the importance of an education to all of her children. She was an incredible cook and baker creating delicious meals ranging from her flour tortillas, tamales, empanadas and all other Mexican cuisine. She loved all arts-and-crafts, but was a particularly skilled knitter and crocheter and gifted almost everyone that visited her a scarf or a hat. Her profound caring for others was especially evident when people would fall ill and for years became the unofficial neighborhood nurse known for her light-hand at giving injections. She loved gardening and had an amazing green-thumb to grow and multiply beautiful flowers, plants and fruit trees that she would readily gift to others. Even as her illness overtook her memory, Hercilia held fast to her faith by reciting her favorite prayers and giving God’s Blessings to her loved ones.
Hercilia is survived by her children: Elena Leal, Isidro Enrique Leal (Myrna), Martha Leal, Jose Alejandro Leal Sr. (Martha), Terry Leal, Marie C. Leal and Hercilia Youngblood (Daniel). Hercilia was affectionately called “Momo Lili” by her eleven grandchildren: Edwin Gutierrez, Jose Alejandro Leal, Enrique Leal, Orlando Gutierrez, Rocio Marisol Rojas, Gabriela Leal, Myrna Mariel Leal, Dante Daniel Ruiz, Andrea Alexis Perez, Sebastian Youngblood and Julian Youngblood as well as twelve great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 with a Rosary to be conducted at 7:00 pm at Funeraria Del Angel Rose Lawn, 4464 Old Port Isabel Rd., Brownsville, Texas 78526. A chapel service will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at Funeraria Del Angel Rose Lawn followed by a burial at Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens, 4464 Old Port Isabel Rd., Brownsville, Texas 78526.
Serving as Pallbearers will be her son, Jose Alejandro Leal, Sr., her son-in-law, Daniel Youngblood and her grandsons, Edwin Gutierrez, Orlando Gutierrez, Enrique Leal, Jose Alejandro Leal, Sebastian Youngblood and Julian Youngblood.
The Leal family would like to especially thank our beloved Mother’s long-time caregivers Maribel and Nidia for their dedicated and loving care.
