Cristela Silva

WESLACO - Cristela Leal Silva, 88, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 9, 2018, at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco surrounded and being comforted by her family in her final days. Cristela was born on April 6, 1930, to Agapito Leal and Manuela Trevino Leal in Weslaco, Texas. She was a life-long native of Weslaco. On January 21, 1951, she married her beloved husband Israel Silva and were blessed to celebrate 56 years together. Cristela's Catholic faith provided a solid foundation for her life. She was a long-time member of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Weslaco, TX where she was active in numerous activities including serving in the Altar Society and as an usher with her husband, Israel, for numerous years and most recently as a Eucharistic Minister. She was devoted to raising her children in the catholic faith at St. Pius X Catholic Church. She also encouraged and supported her children and grandchildren to further their education. She was very proud of their educational accomplishments. In her younger years, she worked as a nurse for Dr. Jack Ellis M.D. of Weslaco. Later she was an employee of Wells of Weslaco where she worked for over 30 years before retiring. She always remembered with fondness the close relationship she had with the Wells Family and all the Wells employees. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brothers: Juan, Eliberto, Eleazar, Ernesto; sisters-in-law Santos Leal, Arcelia Silva Bustillos, and brother-in-law Noe Silva. She is survived by three children: Norma (Mike) Silva-Quinn of Austin Texas; Israel (Buddy) Silva Jr. (Elida) of Edinburg, Texas; Edgar Silva (P.J.) of Angleton, Texas and four grandchildren: Kristan (Steve) Garza of Austin, Texas; Ashley (Brent) Jensen of Angleton, Texas; Jonathan Israel Silva of Edinburg, Texas; and Austin Michael Silva of Angleton, Texas. She is also survived by her sisters Mary Leal and Beatriz Rodriguez of Weslaco; sisters-in-law Irma Leal of San Antonio, Texas; Mary Alice Leal and Elisa V. Cavazos of Weslaco, Texas; and brothers Frank Hernandez of League City, Texas and George Hernandez of Ft. Worth, Texas. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at McCaleb Funeral Home with the rosary being at 7 pm Thursday, October 11, 2018, at McCaleb Funeral Home in Weslaco. Funeral Mass will be officiated by Fr. Arturo Cardenas on Friday, October 12, 2018, 10:00 am at St. Pius X Catholic Church, followed by interment at Highland Memorial Park in Weslaco. The family would like to thank the entire staff of the Weslaco Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco.