Maria Elena Peña

Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Sister

Maria entered eternal rest the morning of Friday, July 31, 2020. Maria was born in San Angelo, Texas on May 17, 1956 to Abram and Rebecca Hogeda. Maria moved to San Antonio in 1971 with her mother and sisters. She graduated from Memorial High School in 1974. She received her BA at Our Lady of The Lake University in 1996. She spent many years as an admin in SAISD and NISD until she began her devoted Catholic school career in 1995 teaching first grade at St. John Berchman’s and continued to Mount Sacred Heart School where she taught first grade, fourth grade, eighth grade, and briefly Vice Principal in her 16 years there. Her passion was to teach the little children to prepare them for their future lives. She touched many young hearts along with those of parents, grandparents, and colleagues. Her teaching career was cut short in 2014 when she became ill. Her legacy to Catholic School Education shall continue through the years.

She spent her last years being a loving grandmother to Olivia. Maria was very artistic and designed and sewed many of her creations and enjoyed dancing. She was a performing member with two popular street dance groups till she was too ill to continue. She traveled to Hawaii, Alaska and Canada and much of the west because she loved the natural outdoors and camping by water. Her many interests included Texas Native Indians, Sci-fi, and history which took her adventuring all around the state for historic visits. She is preceded in death by her son Adam Hogeda, father Abram Hogeda, brother John Hogeda, and nephew Michael Zermeño. Maria is survived by her husband Alejandro H. Peña Jr., daughter Sara Gonzales (Jordan Montez), granddaughter Olivia Villarreal, step-son Jonathan Peña, sisters, Deborah Zermeño, Elizabeth Romo, Barbara Hogeda, mother Rebecca Hogeda, Step-mother Lupe Hogeda, step-brothers Eli Rodriguez (Laura Rodriguez), Ramon Rodriguez (Priscilla Rodriguez), Ruben Rodriguez, and step-sister Thelma Losoya (Jose Losoya) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Donations may be made in her name to The Children's Shelter, https://www.childrensshelter.org/ or any charity of your choice.