Maria del Carmen Z. Campos

Our beloved mother and grandmother, María Del Carmen Z. Campos of Brownsville, Texas died peacefully on January 7, 2025. She was 87.

Carmen was a devoted wife and mother who lovingly participated in the lives of her children and grandchildren. She was predeceased by her late husband Vicente Campos, Jr. and three sons Vicente Campos, III, Felipe Campos, and Roberto Campos. Carmen is survived by Maria Guadalupe C. Vasquez (Joe), Dr. Jesús H. Campos, and Dr. Maria Del Carmen Campos. She also is survived by her grandchildren Dr. Eliana Vasquez (Robert), José de Jesús Vasquez, Jr., and (soon to be Dr.) Elizabeth Vasquez, each of whom she greatly loved.

Carmen's life was marked by kindness toward others, perseverance, and a faith-inspired appreciation of life. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, gardening, spending time with her family, her dogs, and her birds. A native of Mexico, Carmen attended a Catholic convent school for girls while growing up. Her family, settled in Matamoros, Mexico when she was a young adult. There, Carmen served as a catechist in her parish church for several years. She later met and married Vicente Campos, Jr. of Brownsville, Texas, and settled in Brownsville. Her life there revolved around raising her children and serving in parish activities at Holy Family Church, where she served as a catechist for several years. She took guitar lessons and served for some time as a musician in the Spanish language folk choir. Carmen also enjoyed visiting and praying with the sick and homebound.

Life was not without hardship and struggle for Carmen. She suffered the loss of twin baby boys Felipe and Roberto a day after their birth. While still a busy mother of three small children, Carmen attended adult evening English and citizenship classes at the local elementary school with her children in tow. She became a naturalized citizen and impressed in her children the value of an education. Carmen was devoted to her husband, Vicente Campos, Jr., throughout his life. She accompanied and cared for him through his final Illness. Later, she struggled with chronic illness.

Through it all, the Campos' home remained a place of life and love animated by Carmen. Although Carmen will be sorely missed, the beautiful memories of the life she shared will remain.

Carmen's family members are grateful to the many people in the community who showed her love and care especially in the final stage of her life. Among these are her primary care physician Dr.

Francis Gumbel and his staff; the staff of Flor de la Fe Home Health, including owner Jose Angel Medina, nurse Josie Medina, and Carmen's loyal personal care attendant Carla Gaytan; the physicians, nurses, and staff of Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville; the nurses and staff of Solara Hospital Brownsville; the nurses and staff of Ebony Lake Skilled Nursing Facility; the physicians, nurses, and staff of Amedysis Hospice Care who showed Carmen and the Family great Kindness and care during her last days; and Sunshine Haven Hospice, whose staff cared for Carmen at the end of her life. The Campos Family also is grateful to the staff and ministry teams of Holy Family Church, including our former pastor Fr. Sal De George, O.M.I., for their love and spiritual support. Thank you also to the staff of Del Angel Funeral Home Buena Vista for their assistance in bidding our beloved mom farewell.

We also thank family and friends serving as Carmen's pall bearers; José de Jesús Vasquez, Jr., Juan Antonio Sosa, Robert Shumacher, Dr. Josh Villarreal, Jerry Garcia, Jerzy Szczepan, Ernesto Barrera, and Dr. Jesús H. Campos.

Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the recitation of the holy rosary will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2025 in Chapel of Angels, at Del Angel Funeral Home Buena Vista, 125 McDavitt Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78521. Requiem Mass will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at Holy Family Church, 2405 E. Tyler St, Brownsville, TX 78520 at 10:00 a.m. followed by burial at 11:00 a.m. at the Del Angel Buena Vista Burial Park, 125 McDavitt Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78521. Flowers will be accepted, or a donation could be made to Sunshine Haven, Inc. (www.sunshinehaveninc.org).