Amelia Garcia Perales

Amelia Garcia Perales, 92, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Friday, June 28, 2024, in El Paso, Texas. Born in Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, on June 24, 1932, to Gilberto and Carmen Garcia, Amelia lived most of her teen years in Juarez, Chihuahua. An accomplished athlete, Amelia was a member of Las Jaboneras de Juarez, a basketball team representing the city of Juarez, which won the national championship in Mazatlán, Mexico, in 1950.

At age 19, Amelia married and later divorced after giving birth to four beautiful children: Maria Del Carmen Vela Carrillo, Gloria Margarita Carrillo, Gilberto "Beto" Carrillo, and Jose Carlos (Charlie) Garcia. She then met and married the love of her life, Salvador (Chava) Perales Esparza, her husband of nearly 58 years, on September 26, 1960. Amelia and Salvador welcomed three more children into their family with the births of Maria de Lourdes (Lulu) Avila, Rosa Isela (Rosy) Martinez, and Salvador (Sal/Chavita) Perales Jr.

Amelia and her husband Salvador were avid bowlers, winning many trophies. Still, their favorite thing to do was to go dancing on the weekend, successfully competing in the many dance contests in the nightclubs of Juarez. Together, they were an unstoppable team.

In the late 1960s, Amelia and Salvador moved their family to El Paso, Texas, and started a new chapter of their lives. Employed for most of her life in the clothing manufacturing industry, Amelia worked for Billy the Kid for over 30 years, in a couple of other factories, and finally for Levi Strauss & Company, where, at the age of 70, she became the oldest retiree in the history of Levi Strauss.

After retirement, Amelia dedicated her life to caring for Salvador during his twenty years of dialysis and poor health. While the indignities of age may have slowed Salvador, Amelia never stopped. An avid walker, she logged an unbelievable eight miles three times a week for twenty years during Salvador's dialysis. The other four days, she spent walking hours getting groceries and the other necessities of life.

Amelia was a fantastic cook. Whipping up all kinds of delicious food— always adding that extra touch of love— she regularly produced her own fishes and loaves miracle, feeding an army (her family) with what seemed to be a very small amount of food—and still had leftovers!

A woman of faith, Amelia loved to attend church and pray for all her family daily. She was a woman for the ages, tough as nails, yet with a tender and compassionate heart. She is a beloved grandmother who always loved on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom have fond memories of her and give thanks for the time they spent knowing and loving her.

Hardworking and healthy, Amelia was full of life. She loved to dance at every party. When Salvador could no longer partner with her, her many children and grandchildren gladly stepped in. She could outdance them all! Her family vividly recalls one party where Amelia danced for over three hours straight, outlasting two sons, one daughter, and two nephews.

Sadly, in her last few years of life, dementia took much of her energy, but she never gave up, and she never gave in until an unfortunate fall caused her to not be able to do the three things that she loved the most: walk, cook, and dance. Her family gives thanks to a loving Father in Heaven, who took her peacefully, allowing her to go mostly on her terms and to celebrate one more time with her family on her 92nd birthday.

Preceded in death by her husband Salvador, who died on February 6, 2018, her parents, and her daughter Gloria Carrillo, Amelia is survived by her six remaining children, 27 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren, and 28 great-great-grandchildren.