Maria A Cantu

Maria Andrea Leal Cantu passed away peacefully on January 11, 2019 at home surrounded by loved ones at the age of 92. Her devotion to her family and her firm belief in God supported her in her final days and ultimately gave her peace.

Maria was born to the late Maria and Jose Leal in San Juan, Texas on April, 9 1926. She was the third oldest of 9 children. While working in the cotton fields she met her late husband, Ignacio Cantu, Sr. and loved to tell the story of how it was love at first sight. She was a strong and determined woman, teaching herself to sew and then working as a seamstress in several factories while also raising their children. In 1965 they moved to Mesquite, TX where they bought the house of her dreams and where she would ultimately take her final breath.

Maria was an amazing cook and took great joy in sharing her food with others. For many years she would make tamales, burritos and enchilada plates to take to the Delta Christmas Bazaar. Pilots and flight attendants from all over the United States would come to eat some of “Mrs. Cantu’s Mexican food.” Maria loved music and would have the radio on singing and dancing while in the kitchen cooking and doing chores around the house. She could be found singing and dancing all the way up to her 92nd birthday. Her family knows that she is now up in Heaven dancing with her husband.

Maria will be deeply missed and is survived by her children Sylvia Cantu, Aida Lucinda Cantu Swope and her husband Allen Swope, Ignacio Cantu Jr. and Yvonne Marie Cantu; her adorable baby brother Pete Leal and her loving sister Paula Tanguma. She is lovingly remembered by her four grandchildren, Cynthia and her husband Stephen, Althea, Shantelle and her husband Brad, and Amber; seven great grandchildren, Arron, Victoria and her fiance John, Claudia, William, Katherine, Lily, and Adriana and three great great grandchildren, Wyatt, Ella and Scarlett. She was preceded in death by her parents, 4 brothers, 2 sisters, and her husband.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 16, 2019 from 11-8pm, with a rosary beginning at 7:00 pm at Anderson-Clayton-Gonzalez Funeral Home, located at 1111 Military Pkwy, Mesquite, TX 75082. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 12:00 pm at St. Pius X Catholic Church at 3030 Gus Thomasson Rd, Dallas, TX 75228.