Carmen Cantu

armen Cantu, 84, passed away on Wednesday, July 18th at Knapp Medical Center. She was born on July 17th, 1934 in Monterrey, Mexico to Francisco Villarreal and Maria del Carmen Trevino. Carmen spent her childhood in Monterrey where she met her future husband and love of her life, Rogelio Cantu. They courted for eight years before marrying on Carmen's birthday in 1960. Rogelio had been working hard getting life set up for his bride in Weslaco and Rogelio continued treating her like a queen for the rest of her life. They raised three children together, Roy, Anabell, and Mari. Rogelio worked his way up at Barbee-Neuhaus, selling tractors for over 38 years, as Carmen cared for the home and their children. Carmen loved to travel and the family made lots of memories taking road trips in their station wagon. They traveled all over the US and Mexico. Their travels led them to Acapulco numerous times, as well as traveling through several of the US States. Carmen and Rogelio continued to travel together taking cruises, enjoying Hawaii, Florida, Colorado, to name a few favorites. Carmen was an excellent and detailed homemaker, as well as being a fantastic cook and caretaker. After raising three successful children, she helped raise her grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. She and Rogelio also ran a local restaurant for many years, "El Taquito Cafe," where Carmen cooked and kept up with the bookkeeping. Although Carmen had many hobbies, by far, the most important thing to her was her faith. She and Rogelio made sure that the children were brought up in a Catholic home and attended mass regularly. She was always the first to volunteer when needed, and Carmen and Rogelio taught prenuptial classes for St. Joan of Arc parishioners for over 20 years. Carmen is preceded in death by her parents, Francisco and Maria del Carmen Villarreal, brother, Argelio Villarreal, sisters, Noelia Munoz Enedina Treviño, and San Juana Villarreal, and son-in-law, Efrain Aviles. She is survived by her loving husband of nearly 60 years, Rogelio Cantu Sr., son, Rogelio Cantu Jr. (Nina), daughters, Anabell Cardona, and Mari Aviles, all of Weslaco, grandsons, Roy Cantu, Gabriel Cardona, Andrew Cantu, Michael Aviles, Dante Cardona and Christian Aviles, granddaughters, Krista Cantu and Gabriella Aviles, brothers, Carlos Villarreal, Felix Villarreal, and Lionel Villarreal, sisters, Bertha Saenz and Alicia Guadalupe Flores, and numerous nephews and nieces.