Maria de Jesus Sandoval

Maria (Mary) De Jesus Pena Sandoval, age 85, passed away on July 6, 2020 in Richardson, Texas. She was born on September 20, 1934 in Mumford, Texas to Benjamin Almendarez Pena and Maria Socorro Ramirez Pena. Mary was raised in Calvert and Bryan, Texas and attended Stephen F. Austin High School up to 10th grade.

She married Alfredo Valdez Sandoval in 1953 and the couple had 7 children. She was a devoted house wife.

In her spare time, Mary enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She

enjoyed attending all their school and sports activities, lunches and outings. She wanted all of her children to get a good education and loved graduations. She also loved soap operas, flowers, the color purple, birds and rabbits, Captain Kirk and Elvis Presley. Her daily highlight was a trip next door to have tea or coffee with her sister-in-law Maria. She especially enjoyed visiting her family in California and made several

trips over the years.

Her family and friends will always remember her as a kind and gentle woman who was always ready to help or entertain family, friend or neighbor. Her strength of character shone brightest when making hard decisions, calmly handling any emergency. She told the best long-winded stories and had an infectious smile and laugh.

She is preceded in death by: Alfredo V. Sandoval (husband), son Thomas (Tommy) Sandoval, her parents Benjamin and Socorro Pena, brother Mateo Pena, sisters Felicita (Fay) Ortega and Martina (Martha) Coronado, son-in-law John Snider, and grandsons Jesus Benjamin (Benny) Sandoval and Nathaniel Bryce Croniser.

Survived by: Four daughters: Sanjuanita (Janie) Sandoval Snider, Guadalupe (Lupe) and husband Steve Croniser, Ramona and husband Darian Carr, and Rachel Sandoval. Two sons: Jesus Alfredo (Jesse) Sandoval and Jeronimo (Jerry) Sandoval and wife Joann. Seven grandchildren: Anthony Stout, Kegan and wife Ashley Sandoval, Katarina Maria Geresy and husband Paul; Marisa, Matthew, Gavin, and Kiera Croniser. Four great-grandchildren: Dawson Lee Wallace, Shiloh Sandoval, Miles Sandoval and Tyler Joelle Sandoval. Sisters: Guadalupe (Lupe) Hernandez, Lucia (Lucy) Rivie, and Jesusita (Susie) Padilla. Brother: Catarino (Karry) Pena. Many other relatives in California and Texas.

In her youth, Mary helped her father work the fields, cultivate and harvest crops, and drove a large farm truck to ferry workers to and from the fields. A pioneer at a young age, she also drove a tractor pulling a trailer between rows to gather the crops. Later, she helped her father run his small grocery store in Bryan, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be contributed to the Alzheimer's Association on-line at www.alz.org, or by mail to: Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave, FL-27, Chicago, Ill, 60601-7633.