Racheal Garcia Herrera Obituary (1953 - 2021)

Rachel Garcia Herrera, 67, of Texas City, Texas went to be the Lord on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 Preceded in death by mother Eufemia Carbajal Cantu, biological father Juan Raynaldo Garcia and father Guadalupe "Mike" Cantu, brothers Johnny Ray Garcia, Guadalupe "Junior" Cantu, niece Rosann Siddell, Son-in-Law Richard Pina Jr. Father-in-Law Benjamin "Benny" Herrera, Mother-in-Law Eludina "Kikie" Luna Herrera, sister Linda Herrera, and nephew "Miguel" Michael Reyes. Survived by her loving husband of 44 years Enrique Herrera, Daughters Mona Pina (Jared Clement), Sheleen (Anthony) Younger, Andrea "Aya" (Jesse) Kulhanek. Grandchildren Renee, (Jonathan), Allison, Jessica, Ava, Sebastian. Great grandchildren Adrian and Nolan, Sisters Rosemarie "Pinky" Carbajal Moore, Diane Hernandez, Juanita (Tomas) Reyes, and Julie Rojas, Brothers Benjamin "Benny" Herrera, Robert D. Herrera, Samuel (Rose) Herrera. And many many more nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends. We are all here to celebrate an incredible life. A life that was so full of giving. Rachel a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, cousin, and grandmother. She was the oldest of her three siblings. Born in Victoria, Texas, Rachel, moved on to Corpus Christi and in her teens moved to Houston. In middle school, she worked daily to help support her family's restaurant business. Her tasks included collecting vegetables from the local farmers market and daily making of the traditional menudo (her recipe is still used to this day). Rachel would complete these tasks before going to school in the morning, taking the fragrance of that morning's menudo with her to school (she hated that smell). She would manage all this while caring for her brother, Johnny, and completing many other daily chores. This all contributed to her hard work ethic. While attending Waltrip High School, she worked at Denny's after school. During work breaks, the maintenance man introduced Rachel and her co-workers to Motown. She loved dancing to that music from then on. Rachel met her first husband Michael and had her daughter Mona. Raising her daughter gave her even more drive and motivation to carry on two jobs. The first at Norton Ditto, a high-end gentlemen's clothing store during the day, and during the evening, working for Club Normandy. Her daughter Mona often speaks of how their early mornings were spent traveling back and forth on foot and by bus to get to daycare and back across town to work - a full day's travel mirroring Rachel's tough but necessary work schedule. In the mid 70s while working, Rachel met one of her best friends Dianne Hernandez who introduced her to Dianne's brother Enrique Herrera. Fresh out of the United States Navy, Enrique became the absolute love of Rachel's life after many days of makeshift lunchtime picnics in the park. He was the Yin to her Yang. They never left each other's side. Rachel and Enrique moved in together on March 17th, 1976 then married on December 3rd, 1976. Shortly after they welcomed their daughter Sheleen "the Bean." A year later, Rachel and Enrique welcomed another daughter Andrea "Aya." The family moved from Houston to Texas City in the late 1970's. There they purchased their first family home where they still reside today. Rachel began her career at Texas New Mexico Power Company where she ascended through the ranks as she worked there for 35 years. There they lived their life. A family life filled with many meals and celebrations around the table, years of travel, weekends at the beach, camping, lots of softball, and many moments spent just dancing the night away with her husband. Grandma was a doer, a mover, and a shaker. She was leader and not a follower. An endless giver. Strong like steel, tiny but mighty. She loved her family. And loved all her fur babies and girls, the late Sophia and Lucy and Bella who are at home today. She loved telling Grandpa what he ought to be doing... and everyone else for that matter. Feeding people was her love language. She was always trying to feed any and everybody. She would even feed the people working at the corner stores and the staff helping at dialysis. To Rachel, no one was a stranger - welcoming anyone into her home and treating them like family. Rachel loved driving around listening to her music loud. Her favorites were R&B, Soul, Tejano, Hip-Hop, Country and the Blues. She could listen to everything from Nelly to Bruce Springsteen. Some of her hobbies were throwing a pole into the water and trying to catch some fish. She enjoyed dancing, painting her home different colors, and making stained glass. She didn't like sports unless she was playing them. She loved Keno. She was great at cards, especially poker. Rachel was a retired Bingo Master. She was always known for having such incredible luck. It wasn't about if Grandma was going to win big, but when! And when she did, you would know about it because she would call you to spread to the wealth. You could often find Rachel having coffee while sitting on the swing, heating up a corn tortilla on the stove, watching reality shows or crime shows like CSI and Unsolved Mysteries. You would regularly see her driving out to the dike, making a stop at Food King, or dropping off food to someone. Some of her favorite snacks included the pink snowballs snack cakes, chocolate kisses, and Frosted Flakes. Some of her favorite activities included going to the beach and gardening - her rose bushes were gorgeous. She loved refrigerator magnets and jewelry. How do you sum up a life well-lived... Truly, one will never properly find the words. So, to borrow from our Lord Jesus: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, [I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Guests are invited to share in a Celebration of Life Visitation from 5:00-6:00 p.m., followed by 6:00 p.m. Funeral Services on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021 at Carnes Funeral Home - Texas City, 3100 Gulf Freeway, Texas 77591.