Erica Renee Chavez

ERICA RENEE CHAVEZ PHARR - Erica Renee Chavez, 37, died Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen. Born in Edinburg, Erica, lived in Pharr most of her life. Erica was a beautiful young woman, who grew up loving to dance. Her smile and big, beautiful, brown eyes touched the lives of many people. Erica graduated from PSJA North High School in 1993, earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in School Psychology from the University of Texas Pan American. She worked as a school psychologist for the Hidalgo Independent School District for 12 years. Erica was currently an Academic Counselor of IDEA Public Schools. She loved working with autistic children and organized a group in Hidalgo for the parents of the children to speak about their experiences and difficulties. Erica was also the Volunteer Coordinator for Special Olympics in the Rio Grande Valley for many years. She enjoyed life. She was a high school cheerleader, and a cheerleader at The University of Texas-Pan American, but her most important cheering was for her son, Christian. She spent her afternoons and weekends cheering for Christian sitting along the fence of the baseball diamond. Erica was a fighter, a strong woman who had many friends she loved. Her memory and fight will continue through all of those who loved her. HE Only Takes The Best God watched you as you suffered, and knew you had your share. He gently closed your weary eyes and took you in his care. Your memory is our keepsake, with that we will never part. God has you in his keeping, we have you in our hearts. Nothing could be more beautiful than the memories we have of you. To us you were someone special. God must have thought so too. All our lives we shall miss you, as the years come and go, but in our hearts you will live forever, becuase we love you so. God saw you were getting tired, and a cure was not to be. So he put his arms around you and whispered "Come with me". With tearful eyes, we watched you suffer and fade away. Although we love you dearly, you were not meant to stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard-working hands to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, HE ONLY TAKES THE BEST! She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Refugio and Alicia Cuellar; paternal grandparents, Pedro and Petra Chavez. Erica is survived by a son, Christian Richard Chavez, of Pharr; her parents Jose Ricardo and Hermelinda Chavez, of Pharr; a sister, Dina Denise Chavez; four uncles, Rene (Maria Elena) Cuellar, Ricardo (Diana) Cuellar, Romeo (Janie) Cuellar, all of Pharr, Daniel Gilberto (Gloria) Chavez, of Edinburg; two aunts, Maria Elena Chavez, of Edinburg, Velia Chavez, of Harlingen; and numerous cousins. Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m., with a 7 p.m. rosary, Thursday, March 21, 2013, at Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, March 22, 2013, at Resurrection Catholic Church in Alamo. Interment will follow at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen. Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan.