Mercedes, Texas  – Josefa (Pepa) de los Santos (de Mata) 91 years of age was called home to the Lord on February 20, 2019 at Valley Baptist Hospital in Harlingen, Texas.  She was born on June 7, 1927 in Mercedes, Texas to Refugio and Amalia V.

Mata.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 59 years, Juan de los Santos Sr.; son, David and daughter, Veronica Perez; brothers Refugio Jr., Gonzalo, and Rodolfo Mata; sisters Frances Covacevich, Mary Goolsby, and Beatriz Mata,

Pepa is survived by daughters, Rose Dominguez (Edelmiro)/Mercedes, Juana (Jesse) of Lansing Michigan, Beatriz Price (Mike) of Houston, Dora Baker of Lawrenceville, Georgia, Dalia Sanchez of Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Also surviving are sons, Robert (Allison) of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Juan Jr (Bernice) of Round Rock; Victor (Gracie) of Sharyland, and Michael of Mercedes. Mrs. de los Santos is also survived by numerous brothers and sisters that include Israel (Maria) of Donna, Roberto of Sun City, Arizona, Juan (Olga) of Weslaco and Luis of San Pedro, California, Martha (Joe) Segura of Pflugerville; Berta (John) Shotwell of Yucaipa, California.  Josefa was blessed with numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews

and nieces and grand-nephews/nieces throughout Texas, Michigan, California, Wisconsin, and New York.

         Mrs. de los Santos did not graduate herself but like so many Depression era children left school at an early age to work to help support her family.  The Mata’s were one of the pioneer families of Mercedes and she was a life time resident of Mercedes. She would entertain her large family with tales of baking pies for local restaurants or working in the Dickies clothing plant and many fruit companies long gone from Mercedes.

         Both Josefa and her late husband, Juan Sr. were pillars of the academic,

religious and voluntary communities of Mercedes.  Perhaps their greatest

accomplishment was the rearing of eleven children who all graduated from the

Mercedes Public school system.  Many received numerous academic, athletic, and

social honors dating from the 1960’s to the 1980’s.  Several are graduates of universities

in Michigan and Texas.  While their eleven children attended Mercedes schools, both

parents were active in their children’s academic, athletic and social functions where they

often helped with fund-raising, chaperoning and directing.

Both were very active with Our Lady of Mercy Catholic and Sacred Heart

churches.  They were ardent supporters of the Knights of Columbus through memberships and numerous volunteer stints in fund-raising and other post functions.  A regular attendee of the KC bingo functions, she could be seen playing several bingo cards while helping her children or grandchildren who had difficulties keeping track of the action on one card alone.  

         Josefa was a woman devoted to her religious studies.  She read her Bible on a

daily basis, attended not only the regular Masses, but she also participated in many religious discussions by the clergy of Sacred Heart.  Her home religious altar was legendary to all the family members and numerous visitors. Pepa will be deeply missed.

         Visitation will be held on Friday, March 1, from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. rosary at Garcia and Trevino Funeral Home, 439 S. Vermont Ave., Mercedes, Texas.  A Catholic Mass celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, March 2, at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Mercedes, Texas. Interment will follow at Mercedes Memorial Cemetery next to her husband in Mercedes, Texas.  Funeral services have been entrusted to Adrian A. Garcia, Director of Garcia & Trevino Funeral Home.

         The family wishes to thank the staff of the Mid-Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation in Mercedes, Texas and the Kindred Hospice team from Harlingen, Texas.