Marilú was born in Veracruz, Mexico and although she was named María Guadalupe, she quickly became Marilú. To her four grandchildren she was always Ita (for abuelita). Marilú grew up in a loving family with two brothers and one sister. The family moved to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua when she was a child, and she lived in Juárez most of her life. After attending elementary school in Mexico, she attended Loretto Academy, a catholic high school in El Paso, Texas, commuting across the international bridge every day. She loved telling her grandchildren stories of her early days in high school when she did not know the English language and had to guess what her teachers were saying. She worked hard in school and went on to graduate as valedictorian of her high school class. After high school, her parents asked her to postpone attending college to help her family financially. Marilú would not give up her dream of going to college. She later married Pedro Gámez and had three children: María de Lourdes (Malú), Patricia and Pedro Alejandro. While raising her children, Marilú decided it was time to go to college. She obtained a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Spanish from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), a place that would later become her second home as a respected and loved language instructor.
Marilú was an angel on earth. She loved people and always looked for ways to bless others. She was incredibly kind and full of wisdom. She had a positive outlook, an admirable sense of humor and so much common sense. She always had good solutions for any problem posed to her. She had an impact on everyone she met. She remembered people’s names and quickly made friends, always showing immense kindness to receptionists, nurses, doctors, bank tellers, and school janitors. It was easy for people to remember Marilú by her joyful disposition, her thoughtfulness, her lovely face, and her beautiful heart. She always looked amazing and so well put together. She was mostly known for her acts of kindness and generosity, from baking her famous flan for anyone who had helped her in some way, to raising money to help two people fight cancer, a dear friend and years later her younger brother. Marilú was a giver. She was generous with her time whenever needed. She was always there for others, a strong and faithful friend. She was a pillar for her family and a rock for so many. Our angel now has wings.
There was nothing Marilú could not do. She had more energy than most people half her age. She loved to work and always put her heart into everything she did. She often held more than one job at a time, finding ways to learn new things. While raising three children, she found time to supervise construction projects for out-of-town friends who needed an on-site project manager. She once agreed to help run a friend’s drive-thru hamburger restaurant because he needed someone he could trust in El Paso.
Marilú found her passion teaching languages and became a beloved “maestra” (teacher), primarily of Spanish, but also English and Italian. She may have discovered her love of teaching when she was twelve years old. She found out that an indigenous woman she knew was illiterate and struggling because she did not know how to count her money. Marilú decided she would teach her to read and write, and the math needed to count money. Like so many lives in years to come, Marilú impacted this woman’s life forever. For years she taught Spanish to Americans who worked in the manufacturing (maquiladora) industry along the border. She enjoyed teaching them the language, but she especially loved sharing her Mexican cuisine and culture. Her teaching career found a home at UTEP where she taught Spanish for more than thirty years. In 2000, Marilú received the University of Texas at El Paso Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching Excellence. Besides regular language classes, she was asked to teach continuing development courses for UTEP faculty and staff, classes she cherished for more than twenty years. Some professors continued taking private lessons and became genuine friends. Some remained her students until this summer, taking weekly online lessons. She treasured teaching kids, teenagers, and young adults as well. Marilú was immensely proud of her students, many of whom became fluent Spanish speakers. To some she was a mentor, to others a bonus mother or grandmother, but to all she was a dear friend. If you were lucky enough to have had Marilú as a teacher, you were lucky enough . . . and blessed beyond measure.
Marilú started teaching using Skype years ago. She continued to teach online during the pandemic and while she lived in Richardson (Dallas), Texas this year. Marilú got immense joy from time spent with her students. In the last few months, teaching them remained especially important to her and something she was not ready to give up. Her four grandchildren are among the fortunate ones to have had online lessons with their beloved Ita. She loved teaching Claudia (Mamoy), Christopher (Tofer), Dani, and Isa. She often said teaching them was her greatest joy and her legacy.
Marilú fought a short and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She received remarkable care at UT Southwestern in Dallas. In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial donation to UT Southwestern Medical Center for Dr. Muhammad Beg’s Pancreatic Cancer Research. Donations may be sent to: UT Southwestern Office of Development, P.O. Box 910888, Dallas, TX 75391-0888, or made online at: engage.utsouthwestern.edu/ or for the advancement of pancreatic cancer research at www.pancan.org.
Marilú is survived by Pedro Gámez and their three children, daughter Malú Gámez Tansey and son-in-law Keith Tansey, daughter Patricia Gámez Stoll and husband Dan Stoll, and son Pedro Alejandro Gámez, grandchildren Christopher Tansey, Claudia Tansey, Daniela Stoll and Isabela Stoll, sister Leticia Correa Milliken, brother Armando Correa Nuñez, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, and nephews. Marilú was blessed and is survived by life-long friends Earl Winget, Richard Ford and Metzli Wise.
Marilú loved the Lord and was at peace knowing she would dwell in His house forever. She is missed terribly by all who loved her, but we are joyful knowing she was received with open arms by her parents Armando and Lupita Correa and her brother Dr. Ignacio Correa Nuñez.
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