My deepest condolences to the family on behalf of my wife, Mercy and I. 

I am proud to have known Berta and been witness to her kind and gentle spirit. She was loved by all and her impact is evident in all who knew her.  

More so, I am comforted in the knowledge that Berta knew the Lord and loved Him. Being used of God, I believe this to be her greatest legacy, that she was able to instill this upon her family and friends, who saw the love of Christ lived out in her life.

You will be missed but not forgotten.   
-John 14: 1-3

We would like to express our condolences to the Parra-Castroman family for the passing of Berta Obdulia Vazquez, a great woman whom my wife Magdalena and I loved and admired deeply. We thank God for her life. Since she met the Lord as her Savior, she has lived a life growing in grace and Christian knowledge. Although she departed to go to her celestial dwelling, she will always be in our hearts. She left a beautiful legacy and a deep footprint in our lives. Her testimony was commendable. 

Berta was one of the most respectful and caring ladies that I have ever met. She lived a Christian life worthy of praise, admiration, and imitation. Her love for the Lord Jesus Christ was reflected and evident in her life. She was a great example and understood that "what you are is a gift that God gives you, and what we become is a gift from us to God and to others."  Most people don't read the Bible, but they can read what a Christian is. What we do and how we live determine who we are. She was a cordial person who loved God and was sensitive to the needs of others. She was nice, kind, gentle, and very polite. Her actions spoke eloquently. 

Berta was a person who loved God and followed him faithfully.  Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever believes in me will never die."  John 11:25.

Berta Obdulia Vazquez is now in the presence of God, freed from all the problems of her human body. When she arrived in heaven, the Lord told her, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness." Mattew 25:21. One day, when the Lord calls us into his presence, or when he comes triumphant in his second coming, we will see her again because she was prepared for her encounter with God. We praise God for her life!!!
Dr. Frank & Magdalena Moreno

Tantas memorias! Tantos años!
 Estamos en familia desde que Mary y Jorge se casaron. Y más en familia cuando pertenecemos a la familia en Cristo a través del cual podremos volver a vernos pero ahora sí por la eternidad!
 Estarás gozando de los tuyos y por eso estamos alegres pues al celebrar tu vida aquí en esta tierra también compartimos la seguridad de que estás rodeadas del amor de Jesús pero también de ellos.
 Fue de mucha bendición para mi saber como te llevabas y compartias con tus yernos los cuales te sentían como una madre. Mi hermano Jorge se unía a Mary con todo amor para atenderte en esos últimos años difíciles antes de partir.
 Y muy merecido pues tu cariño era palpable tal cual fuera un hijo.
 Volveremos a juntarnos cuando nuestro buen Dios lo decida

Abuelita, You were a constant source of joy and encouragement. I am better for having received your love an attention in my youth. I will continue to reflect on the experiences that had a lasting impact on me and that you were apart of so many of them. But mostly I will remember that you created a place for us in your heart and every space that you occupied - so that all your grandchildren always had a sense that we were welcomed and belonged. Such a unique gift: to be welcoming. I will always remember your Christ like hospitality.  

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” - John 13:7

How often, every time we had time, you would take our feet in your hands (grandchildren and later great-grandchildren) and you would massage them. I understand now that you were giving us a mighty embrace stronger than someone 70 times your size. 

Thank you.

Those who have visited my mom over the past eight years will surely recognize this doll, which has become a symbol of comfort and love. One day, while driving on the bustling freeway in Houston, my mom, who was beginning to show significant signs of Alzheimer's, insisted on grabbing the car wheel. She wanted to drive, to touch me, and to kiss my arm. Nervous and anxious, I tried every possible word to convince her to let me take the wheel. Finally, in a moment of desperation, I cried out, "Señor, ayúdame, por favor" (Lord, please help me). It was in that very moment that my eyes fell upon a forgotten doll in the back of the car; someone must have left it there. I reached for the doll and handed it to her, saying, "Please, mami, hold onto this while I drive." She gazed at the doll, clutched it tightly to her chest, and a sense of peace and calm washed over us.

That doll became my mom's steadfast companion during her final year. At the Village Green memory care facility in Conroe, Texas (the second picture is a satellite picture I found in the website, mami was holding the doll), where my mom spent most of her last years, they acquired several dolls because other female residents were drawn to the comfort Mami's doll provided. I've lost count of how many of these dolls we've purchased over the past eight years. As time passed, the dolls naturally lost some of their initial charm, but this last one remained special. It will forever be a cherished part of her memory.

I'm sharing this story in case you have a loved one or know someone who is beginning to lose their cognitive faculties. Offering them something tangible to hold onto can serve as a reminder that God's love is indelible.
Mary

Bertha, mi querida amiga entrañable. Amiga fiel y de lindos valores, siempre con una sonrisa y dispuesta a ayudar a los demás. Te estaré eternamente agradecida por tus sabios consejos y tu forma de animarnos a ser mejores personas en todos los aspectos, pero sobre todo en lo espiritual e intelectual. Te nos fuiste temprano, seguramente con asignaturas pendientes, pero el tiempo que el Señor te permitió estar con nosotros fue impactante para muchos, especialmente para mi. Me presentaste a mi salvador y por ese acto de amor, toda mi familia conoció al Señor. No hay formas de agradecer lo mucho que significas en mi vida. Te extraño amiga querida y espero verte de nuevo, junto a Angel y Rafael para disfrutar del regazo eterno de nuestro Dios.

Querida Berta siempre te recordamos como una persona dulce y bella. Siempre estaras en nuestros corazones.

With heavy hard we said farewell in this world to a beautiful lady who impacted our lives. Sending love to her beautiful family. May her love always embrace all of you children and grandchildren!

Very few men have a mother in law as sweet and perfect as you were to me; that is why I called you mom. I am really going to miss you. May you rest in peace. Thank you for your love. 

Mami you are my inspiration, my best friend, my guiding light. My life would not have been beautiful without you. You are the best teacher in this world to me. The only unconditional love in this earth is your love... En mi pecho yo llevo tu flor. I love you... Te amo

Berta you were a beacon of light and you will always be a strength to me

I am ok with Berta's passing on to a better life which she rightfully deserved.  Dwelling in Gods presence eternally is the place for her to be.  I am certain she touched a life up to the second our Father called her home.  In my opinion she was an angel.  At times she was like a mother to me offering comfort, she was a great friend, and a mentor.  She gave great advice.  She befriended my mother around 1978, and was responsible for bringing her and the rest of my family to church.  She was family, and my mother considered her a best friend.  She was a great writer and a brilliant poem reader.  She had a child like disposition which brought joy to those around her, and always saw the glass half full.  Knowing Berta was a blessing.  She will forever live in my heart, and I know she is shinning bright in heaven.  This is hard for me to write because she is alive in my memory.

Bertica , gracias por ser una segunda madre para mi. Te extrañare pero se que te veré pronto. Ojo 👁️- Gracias por mi eterno regalo que es tu hija Marinella y la mejor esposa , madre, y amiga que tengo.
Hoy te puedo decir que tiene muchas de las cualidades tuyas que viven en ella.
Nos veremos pronto, tu hijo negrito- Raúl 

"Death is not real if one has truly fulfilled the purpose of life." - José Martí
 
I have to say apart from my own parents she was the greatest source of inspiration in helping to develop me to who  I am and my passion for life.  

Faced with having to try to convey this inspiration was so very difficult as I sat and tried to figure out what to say about her.  I tried to picture myself describing her to Brandon and Jacob and I would point to stories of afternoon lunches after church where her humor knew no bounds.  Or the weekend getaways, sometimes with my brother or as we grew up would be set aside for us individually.  I would share the personal memories I had Watching the kids on Sábado Gigante - or movies that we had rented from the nearby blockbuster.  Or doing chores around her house for a little extra money.  Or the trips Radio Shack where she would let us pick out a gift like a short wave radio.  Or how I would wake up to the smell of breakfast and cafe con leche.  Or the trips to FunPlex and the video games she would watch us play.  Or going to the pool or the park in her neighborhood.  The hundreds of Spanish lessons that she offered.  I could go on and on.  But for the sake of time I will try to just glean the essence of those stories in a few words. 
 
Berta was a source of inspiration, love, and wisdom. Her life was a tapestry woven with amor puro, strength, and unwavering devotion and su familia. She was a guiding light, a beacon of unconditional love, and a pillar of support in times of joy and sorrow. Her nurturing spirit and warm embrace could heal the deepest wounds and make even the darkest days a little brighter.  

Love you Bertica!

I will always be grateful for the way Bectica shaped my life. She always had a consent glow about her and taught me her lessons of life through living… church, family, work (and repeat). Simple but effective. Alway putting a smile on my face and ready to give one heck of a foot massage!! 

Berta you will be missed but I am so glad i have moments between you and I, that I will forever cherish.


Mami, thank you for giving me the best example of  how to be a selfless, loving, and amazing mom!  You will forever be in my heart! Por siempre mi Bertica, mi mejor amiga, mi madre del alma!  
Proverbs 30:31 

La vida es sin dudas un pasaje temporal en la tierra donde no escogemos nuestros antecesores pero si escogemos con quien caminaremos y las huellas que dejaremos a nuestro paso. Mi tia abuela Berta o mi pollito como de niño le decía por la piel tan suave y tierna que tenia 🥰 continua su camino eterno al lado del señor al encuentro de su esposo y hermanita. Y sin dudas ha dejado una huella muy profunda y Llena de amor en la familia linda que ha legado aqui en la tierra. No hay forma de evitar sentir la tristeza de no poder verla en estos ultimos dias que estaba fisicamente entre nosotros , pero sin duda el recuerdo de amor y cariño que me dio en vida quedara para siempre en mi menoria❤️

OBITUARY

Berta Obdulia Vazquez

September 5, 1939 – July 10, 2023

Baldwin-Fairchild Conway Funeral Home

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Updates

Services