Esther was a working mother for most of the years her sons were growing up, and after. She worked for the City of Corpus Christi Health Department, the Tuberculosis Association, and the City of Corpus Christi Police Department in the ticket office. (Her family was grateful to have such a good friend at the ticket office.) Esther was a devout Catholic all her life and lived her life in accordance with the teachings of her parents and the Church. Even after she reached an advanced age and found it difficult to get around, she would have her son Joe, who was her caretaker for many years, drive her to the valley on a pilgrimage to the shrine of the Virgin of San Juan. She and Joe faithfully attended Saturday mass at Sacred Heart Church where she was a Eucharistic Minister; she was also a Eucharistic Minister at St. Joseph’s Church. Esther and her husband Manuel (popo) raised their three sons, making sacrifices along the way to make sure their boys had the education and skills they needed to succeed in life. Their sons are forever grateful for this.
Esther was preceded in death by her loving husband, Manuel C. Hernandez Jr.; her parents, Luisa and Leandro Gonzalez; her siblings Jesse (Emilia), Pedro (Dalphine), Carmen (Alphoso), Lupe (Vicente) Morin, and Leo (Ramona).
She is survived by her three sons, Manuel Hernandez III, wife Sharon, Jose Jesus Hernandez, Victor Manuel Hernandez, and sister Mary Lou (Raymond) Salinas. Esther had three grandchildren who loved her very much, Ricky (Yvonne) Hernandez, Christina (Mark) DeAses, and Meagan Michelle Hernandez, and the grand-children’s mother Carmen Hernandez. The grandchildren fondly remember Esther’s classic request to popo, “Ay Manuel, buy them something” which they always enjoyed hearing! She also had five great-grandchildren, Jacob & Audrey Hernandez, Dominick and Corinne DeAses, and Patrick Cober. There are many nieces and nephews as well as grand-nieces and nephews. Two great-nieces who were especially close to Esther were Victoria and Savannah Garza, children of niece Esther Rose (John) Garza.
Mom and Dad loved to dance and could cut a rug like nobody’s business. They both liked to dress up and have a good time. Now they will be reunited and be able to dance forever. Her family and friends will miss her all they days of our lives, as we do dad.
Family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church from 9:00 am with a Holy Rosary to be recited at 9:30 am that same morning.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 10:00 am. Interment will follow at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery.
