Gloria Layton Escareño

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – Gloria Layton Escareño entered into eternal rest on Thursday, the 27th of April 2023 in the comfort of her Brownsville residence. She was ninety-three years of age.

Gloria was born in Brownsville, Texas on April 1, 1930, daughter of the late Narciso Layton and Guadalupe Garza Layton. She attended Brownsville schools and graduated from Brownsville High School, Class of 1948. She later attended Brownsville Junior College, now known as Texas Southmost College.

In her youth, Gloria worked at her family’s business, Layton Grocery and Firearms, where her father taught her the importance of respect, excellent customer service, and the value of money. An entrepreneur, Gloria went on to own and operate several successful businesses. She truly epitomized hard work. She was charitable, caring, and socially active within the community. She volunteered at Charro Days, Inc. and devoted time at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville. A devout Catholic, Gloria was a parishioner of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and also a past-member of The Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

Preceding Gloria in death was her beloved husband, Rosendo Escareño; her parents, Narciso Layton and Guadalupe Garza Layton; and her sister, Elvia M. Layton Neri.

Survivors include her children Mary Jane Escareño Jackson, Gloria Escareño Hill (Ralph +), Rosendo Escareño, Narciso Escareño, and Lupita Escareño Molina (Julian); her brother, Frank Layton (Carla); her grandchildren Martin Rutledge III (Eliza), Enrique E. Hilton III (Sheyla), Anahi Alejandra Molina, Juliana Maria Molina, John Layton Escareño, and Alexandra Hedfelt Morin (Brandon); her great-grandchildren, Merida Hilton and Enrique Hilton IV; in addition to numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Visiting hour with the family will be held at the historic Immaculate Conception Cathedral, 1218 E. Jefferson Street, Brownsville, on Wednesday, the 3rd of May 2023 at nine o’clock in the morning. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at ten o’clock in the morning. The family will then gather for a private committal service at Buena Vista Burial Park in Brownsville, where Gloria will be laid to rest beside her husband.

Honored to serve as her pallbearers are her sons, Rosendo Escareño and Narciso Escareño, her son-in-law, Julian Molina, and her grandsons, Martin Rutledge III, Enrique E. Hilton III, and John Layton Escareño. Her brother, Frank Layton, will serve as honorary pallbearer.

In lieu of floral arrangements and customary remembrances, the family requests donations to The Sisters of the Incarnate Word, 244 Resaca Boulevard, Brownsville, Texas 78520 and to The Immaculate Conception Cathedral Kermes Fund, 1218 E. Jefferson Street, Brownsville, Texas 78520.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to her caregivers Maria Escamilla, Leonarda Garcia, Blanca Gaytan, Maria Hernandez, Elvira Aquino Peralta, and Nancy Hernandez. A special thanks to Leslie Bingham, and to the doctors and nurses at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville for the care they provided for Gloria.

Memories of Gloria may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.