Estela Ruvalcaba Castro

OCTOBER 24, 1946 – FEBRUARY 14, 2023

Estela Margarita Ruvalcaba de Castro, age 76, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, February 13th. Estela was a brave warrior, who battled with Ovarian Cancer for the last three years. She loved all her Doctors, nurses and all the staff at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, in Phoenix, where she would have her treatments every 21 days. Estela had a total of three falls during her battle and each one she incurred fractures, each one painful and yet she did all she needed to get back on her feet and rehabilitated. The last fall was the one that she didn’t quite recover from, for each time she’d have to take a break from her treatments and focus on the healing of her fractured bones. Cancer took advantage of these intermittent brakes and took over.

Estela was born to Jose Luis Ruvalcaba y Josefina Lopez on the 24th of October 1946 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. She was the oldest of five siblings and is survived by her three sisters Anna Maria, Maria del Refugio and Rafaela. Estela is preceded by her parents, her younger, Brother Jose Luis, and her son Jose Roman Castro.

Estela migrated to the USA when she was merely 15 years old, landed in Las Vegas, NV, in the 1960’s, making it her home. Where she worked for a Family helping with the everyday chores and caring for the minor children.

She often talked about the time she spent with this family and how on her night off, the Lady of the house would doll her up to make her look older and would go to the Lucky club Casino to play bingo. There she met Luis Fernando who worked there at the time and would make small talk with them and flirted with Estela, asking her where she was from and what kind of drink she’d like. She would respond: “ Coca!” and would smilingly shy away.

Estela and Luis Fernando had a nice Courtship and from there grew fond of each other. They exchanged vows in Nov of 1967 at the Parroquia de Jesús Crucificado, located in Colonia Miramontes in Tlalpan, Mexico City. Estela often talked about one day celebrating their 50th Anniversary in the same Church. From this marriage, 5 children were born whom she loved very dearly and had special and unique feelings for each one individually.

Estela often talked about how she only was able to go up to 3rd grade of Elementary and how this affected who she could have become. Yet she was always reminded of all that she had achieved and accomplished in the years that followed her school years. Her school was life and all that life taught her and the lessons learned, the many challenges that she overcame and the many ways she ran her household, she was amazing at budgeting, great at stretching her income, saved like no other, and would buy herself her car, house that made into a home and even got to travel to other countries.

She enjoyed Traveling. Aside from visiting her home multiple times in Guadalajara, she visited China, Columbia, Alaska, Rome and Toronto, Canada. Within the USA she visited California, Hawaii, Arizona, Utah, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington DC.

Estela was a housewife and homemaker from 1976 to 1985, back in Mexico City where the family relocated after leaving Las Vegas in early 1976. Her 3 oldest attended Elementary and Middle school there and then a 4th child came along. During these 10 years, Estela made sure to keep busy and have her home based businesses of selling Toys for the holidays, Making savory Mexican quesadillas, and boy did she have a crowd, and a little storefront where you could find candies and sodas, sugar and basic staples one would need in the kitchen. The two older boys would help lots and when they would break Mom for a couple of hours, they’d take their pay from the cash register.

In 1985 Estela and Luis decided that relocating to the USA would be best for the family. Estela and her kids traveled back to Las Vegas, NV and lived with her sister Anna for about a year. Luis Fernando followed a year later and moved the family to a two bedroom apartment. The two oldest attended LV High and the two youngest St Josephs’ Catholic School. The 5th child came along and it was time for a new place. Luis and Estela bought a house.

Estela worked in Housekeeping for Boyd Gaming, a total of 32 years and Luis at the Flamingo Hilton ShowRoom. She worked days and took the youngest to school and Luis worked graveyard shifts and stayed home in the mornings with the youngest. One who had all the attentions, for he was reading and writing by the time he started Pre-school.

Estela’s hobbies were her plants and garden. She had a green thumb and would love to go to the Garden section at Lowes, Home Depot or any Nursery as any kid would at a candy store. She practiced the Catholic Faith and often prayed to St Jude and to Our Lady of Talpa. She was proud to have hosted Our Lady of Guadalupe, in her home, from beginning of December 2022 till February 2023

Estela’s wishes are to continue donating to the St.Jude Children's Research Hospital And we shall continue to make a yearly donation. Any Memorial donations or funds received, will be donated in her name to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Estela Margarita Ruvalcaba de Castro is survived by the 3 Generations she leaves behind; her Husband of 55 years, Luis Fernando, her children Luis Manuel, Jaime Felix, Lilia Veronica and Daniel Patricio and Daughter-In-Laws whom she cared for very much, Erika, Violet and Josefina, Her grandchildren Susana, Diana, Marissa Ariana, Cristian Emanuel, Paula Margarita, Arturo Alexander, Boss Angel, Diva Godiva and Divina Amor. Five Great-Grandchildren, plus a whole lot of dogs, cats and even a chameleon!

Among her immediate Family, her Sisters and their husbands. sister-In-laws and brothers-In-aw, nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, she too leaves a great deal of aunts and uncles, cousins and lots of friends whom she loved dearly.

She leaves us all with many memories to last us a lifetime along with many lessons of love and life.

A visitation for Estela will be held Monday, February 27, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123. A funeral service will occur Tuesday, February 28, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123. A reception will occur Tuesday, February 28, 2023 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123. A committal service will occur Tuesday, February 28, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM at Bunkers Eden Vale Cemetery, 1216 N Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101.

“The Life that I have”

By: Leo Marks

The Life that I have

Is all that I have

And the Life that I have

Is Yours

The Love that I have

Of the Life that I have

Is yours, and yours and yours

A sleep I shall have

A rest I shall have

Yet Death will be but a pause

For the Peace of my years

In the Long Green Grass

Will be Yours, and yours and yours.

“La vida que tengo”

Por: Leo Marks

La vida que tengo

es todo lo que tengo

y la vida que tengo

Es tuyo

El amor que tengo

De la vida que tengo

Es tuyo, y tuyo y tuyo

Un sueño tendré

Un descanso tendré

Sin embargo, la muerte no será más que una pausa

Por la Paz de mis años

en la larga hierba verde

Será tuyo, y tuyo y tuyo.

"Farewell my Friends"

by Rabindranath Tagore

It was beautiful

as long as it lasted,

the journey of my life.

I have no regrets

Whatsoever,

save the pain I leave behind.

Those dear hearts

who love and care

and the heavy with sleep

ever moist eyes.

The smile, in spite of a

lump in the throat,

and the strings pulling

at the heart and soul.

The strong arms

that held me up

when my own strength

let me down.

Each morsel that I was

fed with was full of love divine.

At every turning of my life

I came across

good friends.

Friends who stood by me

even when the time raced by.

Farewell, Farewell

my friends.

I smile and bid you goodbye.

No, shed no tears,

for I need them not.

All I need is your smile.

If you feel sad,

think of me

for that's what I'd like.

When you live in the hearts

of those you love,

remember then...

you never die.

"Adiós mis amigos"

por Rabindranath Tagore

Fue hermoso

mientras duró,

el viaje de mi vida.

No tengo arrepentimiento

ninguno,

Guarden el dolor que dejo atrás.

Esos tiernos corazones

que aman y cuidan

y los pesados de sueño

ojos siempre húmedos.

La sonrisa, a pesar de un

nudo en la garganta,

y las cuerdas tirando

en el corazón y el alma.

Los brazos fuertes

que me sostuvieron

cuando mi propia fuerza

Me dejo caer.

Cada migaja con a cual me

Alimentaron, estaba llena de amor divino.

En cada giro de mi vida

Me encontré con

Buenos amigos.

Amigos que estuvieron a mi lado

aun cuando el tiempo corría.

Adiós, adiós

mis amigos.

Sonrío y me despido de ti.

No, no derrames lágrimas,

porque no las necesito.

Todo lo que necesito es tu sonrisa.

si te sientes triste,

piensa en mi

porque eso es lo que me gustaría.

Cuando vives en los corazones

de los que amas,

recuerda entonces...

nunca mueres

"All Is Well"

by Henry Scott Holland

Death is nothing at all,

I have only slipped into the next room.

I am I and you are you

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by my old familiar name,

Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.

Put no difference in your tone,

Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,

Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,

Just around the corner.

All is well.

"Todo está bien"

de Henry Scott Holland

La muerte no es nada en absoluto,

Solo me he colado en la habitación de al lado.

yo soy yo y tu eres tu

Lo que éramos el uno para el otro, lo seguimos siendo.

Llámame por mi antiguo nombre familiar,

Háblame de la manera fácil que siempre usaste.

No pongas diferencia en tu tono,

No mantengas un aire forzado de solemnidad o pena.

Ríete como siempre nos reíamos de las pequeñas bromas que disfrutamos juntos.

Juega, sonríe, piensa en mí, ora por mi.

Que mi nombre sea siempre la palabra familiar que siempre fue,

Que se hable sin efecto, sin rastro de sombra en él.

La vida significa todo lo que alguna vez significó.

Es lo mismo que siempre, hay una continuidad ininterrumpida.

¿Por qué debería estar fuera de la mente, porque estoy fuera de la vista?

Te estoy esperando, por un intervalo, en algún lugar muy cercano,

A la vuelta de la esquina.

Todo está bien.