Olivia Mcdonald

PHARR - When I think of our grandmother Olivia McDonald, I'm reminded of Proverbs 31:10-31:
"When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She rises while it is still night, and distributes food to her household. She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and on her tongue is kindly counsel. Her children rise up and praise her; her husband, too, extols her: 'Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all.' Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her a reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates."
Our grandmother went to be with her Lord on Friday, July 10, 2020, due to heart failure. She was 94 years old.
She was the daughter of Martin Gallegos and Gertrudis Guerrero. At the age of 10, she lost her mother and was raised by her grandmother, Guadalupe De La Rosa Guerrero. She had a brother, Martin Gallegos, and a sister, Sara Rodriguez.
At the age of 17, she met her husband, Severo McDonald, and they married in 1943.
Our grandmother had ten children: Gertrudis (Noe) Figueroa of San Juan, Yolanda Briones of Arkansas, Severo (Maria Elena) McDonald of Dallas, Adela (Jose Guadalupe) Lopez, Roberto (Julia) McDonald, Sylvia McDonald, all of Pharr, Omar McDonald, of Houston, Olivia (Eliseo) Valdez of Pharr, Martin (Lesly) McDonald of McAllen, Graciela (Carlos) Vargas of Corpus Christi; she had 23 grandchildren; 48 great-grandchildren; 16 great-great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-great-grandchildren.
In June 2017, her granddaughter Jessica Denyse, passed away. In September of that same year, our grandmother suffered the loss of her husband of 74 years.
Our grandmother was a strong and loving woman. She was the perfect example of what a grandmother should be to her grandchildren. We all have so many memories filled with laughter, and she taught us lessons that will stay with us forever. And although she may not be with us, she will live on in the stories we share for generations to come. She will be greatly missed and will always be in our hearts.
A private service will be held at Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan. Interment will take place at Palm Valley Memorial Gardens in Pharr.
Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan.