Esther C. Cornejo

Esther C. Cornejo, beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great- and great-great grandmother, died May 31 at her residence surrounded by her family. She was 94.

Mrs. Cornejo was born in 1926 in Brownsville to Jose T. Cavazos and Santos G. Cavazos. She graduated from Brownsville High School in 1944 and worked briefly for a law firm before joining the Cameron County Clerk’s Office in 1946. Mrs. Cornejo served as a deputy clerk and, later, chief deputy clerk before retiring in 1992 after 44½ years of service.

She married Juan Escobedo Cornejo on Jan. 2, 1947, in the Iglesia Metodista Unida El Buen Pastor. She was a lifelong member of El Buen Pastor, serving on several committees and as a member of the choir.

Mrs. Cornejo was preceded in death by her husband; son, Saul Carlos Cornejo; her parents; and her brothers, Justo Cavazos and Moises Cavazos.

She is survived by her children: Lucila C. (Dan B. Uzzell) Etheridge, Sofia C. (Pedro+) Benavides, Juan Jose (Maggie) Cornejo and Azenett Cornejo; grandchildren: Patricia (Felipe) Cantu; Raeford (Ruth) Etheridge Jr., Mary Esther (Louis) Sorola, Jesus (Monica) Mata Jr., Gloria (Allison Elsey) Benavides, Alexandra (Oscar) Ahumada, Jason (Sandra) Cornejo and Erika (Ralph) Mijares; great-grandchildren: Pricilla (Rosalio) Rosales, Jonathan Guzman, Michael Etheridge, Mercedes (Patrick Ramirez) Etheridge, Michael Mata, Sofia Garcia, Joaquin Ahumada, Carolina Ahumada, Christopher Cornejo, Jayde Cornejo, Nicolas Cornejo, Marisa Mijares and Elena Mijares; great-great grandchildren: Kaydence Rosales, Logan Rosales, Lilliana Ramirez and Hendrix Ramirez; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, June 6, at Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd. A prayer service will take place at 7 p.m. led by the Reverends Pedro Garcia and Pedro Hinojosa.

Services will take place at 9 a.m. Monday, June 7, at Iglesia Metodista Unida El Buen Pastor, 435 Boca Chica Blvd., with the Rev. Santos Ortiz Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Buena Vista Burial Park, 5 McDavitt Blvd.

Serving as pallbearers will be Rolando Cavazos, Jesus Mata Jr., Jason Cornejo, Rosalio Rosales, Michael Mata and Jonathan Guzman.

Honorary pallbearers are Port of Brownsville Commissioner John Wood, Lauro Gomez, Cesar Garcia, Hugo Cavazos, Jesse Cavazos, Daniel Tijerina, Ramon Sierra and Eleazar Carrasco.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Building Fund of Iglesia Metodista Unida El Buen Pastor.

The Cornejo family would like to thank the staff of the Medical Team Hospice, including Dr. Ruben Tenorio, Hospice Consultant Sadie Gallegos, Patricia Cardoza, R.N.; Laura Garcia, R.N.; Janie Castillo, R.N.; Mayra Carranza, CNA; Eva Vazquez, CNA; Hospice Social Worker Janie de la Cruz; and Chaplain Jacinto Flores Jr. The family also offers its heartfelt gratitude to Mrs. Cornejo’s caregiver, Maria Ester Puente, for her dedication and loving care.

You may share your memories of Esther with her family at www.darlingmouser.com

Funeral arrangements have been to entrusted to Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd., Brownsville, Texas 956-546-7111.