Zulema Briseño Esparza

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – Zulema Briseño Esparza, 77, of Brownsville, entered into the glory of her eternal life on Tuesday, the 20th of August 2024, at her residence, surrounded by her loving daughters.

A lifetime resident of Brownsville, Zulema graduated from Brownsville High School in 1966 and recently celebrated her 58th high school reunion with her lifelong friends. She earned an Office Management associate degree from Texas Southmost College in 1982.

A devout Catholic, Zulema was a faithful parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and a charter member of the Sacred Heart of Mary Court #2448 with the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She epitomized unconditional love as a single mother who raised three daughters on her own, modeling strength, independence, and unwavering faith.

While maintaining office management positions at Montgomery Ward, Inc., and Bush Supply Company for several years, Zulema served her community tirelessly as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee of Brownsville from 1985 through 1996. After both companies closed indefinitely, Zulema joined the Brownsville Independent School District, where she began her second career as a special education and diagnostician clerk for twenty-five years, until her retirement in 2017.

She devoted her life to her three daughters and cherished her role as “Granny” to her eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Zulema was deeply loved and will be missed by all fortunate to have been part of her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alberto and Julia S. Briseño; by her sisters, Graciela B. Garza and Alma Briseño Barrera; and by her brother, Alberto Briseño Jr.

Left behind to eternally treasure her memories are her daughters, Julia Esparza (Jennifer), Patricia “Tricia” Esparza, and Celeste Paschall (James); her grandchildren Amberlynn, Taylor, James, Dylan, Madonna, Kelly, Joaquin, and Grace; her great-grandchildren, Bodhi and Alina; and her siblings, Levina B. Davila (Dr. Ernesto+) and Antonio Briseño (Mary Bea).

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, the 23rd of August 2024 between the hours of four o’clock in the afternoon and nine o'clock at night, with the recitation of the holy rosary to begin at seven o'clock Friday evening within the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home. 

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at eleven o’clock in the morning on Saturday, the 24th of August 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 1200 Lincoln Street, Brownsville. All services will conclude at the church and in accordance with her wishes, cremation will follow.

James Cable Paschall, James Knight Paschall, Dylan Matthew Cabler, Sidney Jerome Jaross, and Daniel Oscar Farias are honored to serve as her pallbearers.

Honorary pallbearers are John Blackburn, Eliseo Davila, Francisco O. Garza Jr., and Joaquin Moreno Esparza.

Memories of Zulema 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.