Macaria De La Garza Gorena

MACARIA DE LA GARZA GORENA

EDINBURG – Daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, friend, teacher, mentor, supervisor, woman of faith. Macaria de la Garza Gorena entered her eternal home Sunday, February 21, 2016, 18 days shy of her 97th birthday.

Born in Camargo, Tamps., Mexico on March 10, 1919, to Jesus de la Garza and Casimira Villarreal de la Garza. Macaria moved to Edinburg in 1924 at the age of five. The ninth of 12 children, she is the only one who chose to attend college after graduating from Edinburg High School. Macaria’s father inspired in her a quest for knowledge and a dedication to serving others. She attended Edinburg Junior College (which later became UTPA and is now UTRGV) and then Texas Women’s University, earning a bachelor of arts. Macaria later earned her master’s from UTPA in 1977, and was proud to have been a UTPA Bronc for 77 years before becoming a Vaquero. UTPA officials honored Macaria as a pillar of the university.

While at TWU, Macaria made the decision to file her intention for citizenship. She had to travel from Denton to Marshall, three hours away, without the companionship of any of her friends, which was highly uncommon in those times. After the judge chided her for not having filed her intention sooner, in Brownsville, he accepted it and then invited her to his Rotary luncheon, asking her to speak to the group. For years, Macaria pointed to this experience as one that built her character and confidence.

After earning her bachelor’s degree at TWU, Macaria moved to Falfurrias and worked as a classroom teacher. After one year in Falfurrias, she moved back to her beloved hometown of Edinburg and worked in Edinburg CISD for 46 years. Throughout her life, she lived by one of her mottos--that it wasn’t about how much wisdom and knowledge she gained for herself but rather about sharing what she learned with others—especially children. For 47 years, she was on the cutting edge of education, often times pioneering techniques that would ensure the success of all students, but especially those of limited means—both physical and mental.

To honor her years of dedication to the district, but especially to the children fortunate enough to have been inspired by her, Edinburg CISD named a school after her in 2011---Macaria de la Garza Gorena Elementary School. This was one of her life’s greatest honors.

Macaria and her husband, Roberto, had five children—Mariella, Macaria “Caro,” Roberto “Bobby,” Daniel+, and Raul Rene+. To her children, she was a disciplinarian with a kind heart. She expected nothing but the best from them. Witty and direct, she instilled in her children that there were “no excuses” for missing school or for misbehaving.

That life of servitude that her father instilled in her at a very young age, Macaria carried with her for the rest of her life. She served in countless organizations over the years, rising to leadership positions in many of them. Among her most cherished organizations were the Zonta Club of West Hidalgo County (honored as one of their Shining Stars for Youth and Education), Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (honored with their Golden Rose Award), Pan American Round Table, Easter Seals, Hidalgo County Retired Teachers’ Association, Texas Advocacy for the Elderly and Disabled, United Methodist Women’s Organizations, Friends of the Library (Edinburg), and United Way of Hidalgo County. Macaria received numerous honors over the years, including being named 1983 Woman of the Year by the Edinburg Daily Review and one of the One Hundred Women of the Rio Grande Valley by the Rio Writers.


Macaria’s life reflected God’s teachings—when the storms of life hit, she always turned them over to The Man Upstairs. For over 60 years, Macaria taught Sunday school, teaching her students not only the Bible stories we have all come to love but also the Christian traditions that are the backbone of our communities. She was inspired by the Great Teacher and Master, Jesus Christ, Who gave children their greatest identity by saying, “Let the children come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Macaria was preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Gorena, Sr. her two sons, Raul Rene Gorena and Daniel David Gorena, and her grandson, Christopher James Palmatier.

She is survived by a son, Roberto E. Gorena, Jr. of Edinburg, two daughters, Mariella Gorena of McAllen and Macaria (Randy) Palmatier of Lakeway, seven grandchildren, Lisa, Ryan, Rebekah, Janessa, Kassandra, Jair, Elsa, six great-grandchildren, Ryder, Jade, Ethan, Danielle, Adam, Arabella, two sisters, Evangelina Guerra and Isabel Flores, both of Edinburg, and four sisters-in-law, Elvira de la Garza, Maria Innocencia de la Garza, Cidelia Gorena and Carmen Gorena.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m., with a 7 p.m. prayer service Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at Memorial Funeral Home, 208 E. Canton in Edinburg. Funeral service will take place at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, February 25, 2016 at El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church, 705 W. University Dr. in Edinburg. Interment will follow at Valley Memorial Gardens, 3605 N Taylor Rd. in Mission. Pallbearers will be Ryan Gorena, David R. Gorena, Rudy Gorena, Julio L. de la Garza, and Agapito de la Garza.

Macaria’s family would like to thank Dr. Mangala Ramamurthy and Maria Elena Lopez, Macaria’s caregiver, for their compassionate care over the years. Special thanks, as well, to the staff at Briarcliff Nursing Home in McAllen and Amara Hospice for their kind support and dedication to Macaria. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church, 705 E. University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539 or the Macaria de la Garza Gorena Endowed Scholarship at UTRGV, 1201 W. University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539-2999.

Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Edinburg.