Aida Uribe

Aida De Leon Uribe died May 6, 2010 in Brownsville, Texas.

Born on June 26, 1923, in Brownsville, Texas, Aida was the daughter of Jose De Leon and Rosa Vasquez.

The loss of her father at the tender age of five during the Great Depression, an incident of discrimination in a San Antonio public school shortly thereafter, and her Roman Catholic faith forged Aidas character into a tough, socially and politically conscious, modern woman before the advent of womens rights. She vowed that her childrens lives would be different and better than hers.

Upon her return to Brownsville from San Antonio, Aida was educated at the parish school at Immaculate Conception and at Villa Maria Academy. From the nuns who operated the schools, Aida learned that women could be leaders too. Upon her graduation Aida would continue her education at Draughans Business College in San Antonio where she met the love of her life and future husband, Blas Uribe III.

Together they raised three children, Blas, Hector, and Aida. Hoping to shelter their children from the discrimination she had experienced in San Antonio, firmly believing that the path to personal success lay in education, and knowing that a social conscience is best developed in a nurturing spiritual environment, Aida and Blas sent each of their children to Catholic schools until they graduated high school.

Aidas focus on her familys education and the need to pay for her childrens tuition didnt prevent her from pursuing her own. When the family moved to Miami along with other Pan American Airway families in the early 60s, Aida went to work at the University of Miami Library and she enrolled in courses at the university. Soon she climbed the administrative ladder and served in various capacities at the university, including chief business manager of a medical research project. Eventually she added Portuguese to the English and Spanish that she spoke and was named circulation editor of the journal of InterAmerican Studies at the university.

Upon their retirement, Aida and Blas returned to Brownsville, not to rest, but to reengage in the struggle to help others and to reconnect with their extended family. A former Brownsville Housing Authority project manager, Aida served as a director of Cameron County Housing Finance Corporation and was a passionate member of Valley Interfaith.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Blas Uribe III her sisters, Margarita De Leon Marroquin and Ana De Leon Zavaletta and her brothers, Jose, Andres, and Arnoldo De Leon.

Aida is survived by her children, Blas, Hector, and Aida her grandchildren, Blas V, Echo, Brandan, Alan, Danu, Daniele, Coleen, and Julie six greatgrandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces.

Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. on Monday, May 10, 2010 in the East Chapel at DarlingMouser Funeral Home. The Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament will lead the recitation of the holy rosary slated to begin at 7 p.m. Monday evening. Father Alfonso Guevara, of St. Joseph the Worker parish in McAllen, Texas, will officiate the Mass of Christian Resurrection which will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1200 Lincoln St. Entombment will follow in the Mausoleum at Buena Vista Burial Park.

In lieu of flowers, Aidas family requests that memorial gifts in her name be made to:
Incarnate Word Academy, Development Fund, Attn: Sr. Irma Gonzalez, I.W.B.S., 244 Resaca Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78520.

Visitation

DarlingMouser Funeral Home
945 Palm Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78520
Monday, May 10, 2010
3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Service

Rosary

DarlingMouser Funeral Home
945 Palm Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78520
Monday, May 10, 2010
7 p.m.

Mass

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church
1200 Lincoln
Brownsville, TX  78521
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
10 a.m.

Cemetery

Buena Vista Burial Park Mausoleum
5 McDavitt Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78521

Memorial Contributions

Developement Fund Attn: Sister Irma Gonzalez I.W.B.S.
Brownsville, TX  78520