Maria Ercilia Pena

Maria Ercilia Pena, a resident of Falfurrias, Texas, went to be with her Heavenly Father on Sunday, June 21, 2015. She was born on April 27, 1939 in Encino, Texas. Mrs. Pena attended Falfurrias High School and was a graduate of Texas A&I University. Mrs. Pena was a Reading Specialist and Educator with Brooks County ISD for 30 years. She was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and served as a Sunday School Teacher. Maria taught her family strong values and the importance of family, faith, hard work, kindness, tolerance, generosity, forgiveness and love. She was a strong woman, gentle but direct and had an amazing way of comforting them all.

Mrs. Pena is preceded in death by her parents, Felix and Maria Bayarena Morales; two brothers, Rodolfo Rene Morales and Isidro Morales; great-granddaughter, Mia Christine Sosa and her mother-in-law, Constancia Pena. She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Elias G. Pena; son, Ronald (Irma) Pena, Sr.; daughter, Dana Lynne Sosa; two brothers, Felix (Mary) Morales, Jr. and Roberto (Grace) Morales; two sisters, Eliza Garcia and Edna Morales; sister-in-law, Annabelle (Richard) Lawhorn; five grandsons, Ronald (Leanna) Pena, Reuben James “RJ” (Brynda) Pena, Michael Andrew (Jessica) Sosa, II, Christopher Jay (Angie) Sosa and Steven Sean (Ruth) Sosa; granddaughter, Kaitlyn Marie Pena; 11 great-grandchildren, Jacob Thomas Pena, Jacey Andrew Pena, Alexandra Ilene Pena, Alaina Jayde Pena, Lillian Grace Pena, Samantha Jo Davila, Gabriella Alis DeLeon, Ezekiel Jay Sosa, Xavier Mario Cantu, Mia Celest Cantu and Josiah Steven Sosa and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at the Funeraria Del Angel Howard-Williams in Falfurrias with visitation beginning at 5:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Falfurrias. Burial will follow at the Falfurrias Burial Park.