Jesusa Obaya Reyes

Jesusa was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas where she attended K-11 in the Edgewood Independent School District. Upon completion of the 11th grade, Jesusa took a full-time job as a Seamstress at The Juvenile Company to help support her family. In 1947 a mutual friend introduced her to Reynaldo V. Reyes and on April 24, 1949, Rey and Chita were joined in Holy Matrimony in San Antonio.

Jesusa worked for The Juvenile Company, later known as Santone Industries, for 33 years. She made many friends at Santone that she dearly missed when she left there to work with her sister at a nursing home in 1977. While she worked at the nursing home Chita completed the requirements of, and was awarded her GED. Subsequently, she left the nursing home in 1981 and took a position as a Kitchen Supervisor with the Texas Youth Commission (TYC). She became known as “Nanny” to the residents because she provided much maternal care and mentoring that many of the troubled residents had never experienced. Jesusa’s time with the TYC was so rewarding that when she retired in 2003 she missed her work so much that she un-retired and worked for yet another year. She left the Youth Commission in 2004 and, foregoing the stressful supervisory duties, she worked another 10 years for the San Antonio Independent School District as a kitchen cook. This physical work she performed day after day from her late 70’s into her late 80’s!

In 2014, Chita decided to join her daughter Diane and family in Kansas. Not long after she arrived in Kansas and settled in to her new home, the desire to work rekindled. In 2015, at the age of 88, she took a position as a Kitchen Helper at an elementary school in Manhattan which she faithfully and without absence reported to for another 5 years until the circumstances of the COVID year forced her into retirement, finally, at the age of 93.

Jesusa’s passion in life was her family. She became the matriarch of her family after her mother died, providing shelter, food, and guidance to her siblings whenever they fell on hard times. She also loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. They were the highlight and biggest blessings of her life and she shared her love for working, cooking, yard chores, and gardening with all. Jesusa was a faithful Catholic and remained committed to her faith until her last breath.

Jesusa is survived by her daughter Diane Obaya Doehling (John), grandchildren Ryan Doehling (Rebecca), Shelbi Opirhory (Dan), and great grandchildren, Evelyn Doehling, Elliott Doehling and Sasha Opirhory.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.funerariadelangelcupples.com for the Reyes family.