1947
Elena
2016
Elena Esparza
February 19, 1947 — May 4, 2016
SAN ANTONIO - Elena Salmon Esparza passed away Wednesday, May 4, 2016 while undergoing open-heart surgery. She was 69. Elena was born to Cande and Juan B. Salmon Jr. in Marathon, Texas, on February 19, 1947. A Fighting Mustang alum, Elena attended Marathon Independent School District, graduating from Marathon High in 1966. She moved to San Antonio, where she attended Durham Business College, graduating in 1967 with a secretarial certificate. She immediately accepted a position with Texas Head Start, and moved back to West Texas settling in Fort Stockton. It was during this time she met Jose "Joe" Maria Esparza of Imperial, and the two were wed on June 22, 1968 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Marathon. Elena long described Joe as her "Prince Charming," the love of her life, and for 21 years they shared a love for each other, for their family and their friends.
They made their first home in Alpine, Texas, where Joe was finishing a degree at Sul Ross University. Elena often spoke of their first home, the historic red brick and rock cottages of Smith and Marquis Halls for married students - the area now home of the Lobo Village Housing Complex. A few of the original brick cottages have remained for historic and aesthetic purposes. After graduation, Joe took a job teaching in El Paso and there the couple welcomed their first son in the spring of 1971. By 1973, the couple left El Paso for Gonzales and later Kingsville where they welcomed their second son in 1977. Joe had made a career move from teaching to U.S. Government service, eventually settling in with the United States Department of Agriculture as an associate for the Agricultural Soil and Conservation Service. The family found themselves living next to the historic King Ranch in Kleberg County. Elena was fond of the large, kid-friendly ranch gatherings during holidays and special occasions during their time there. In the summer of 1979, Joe accepted a promotion to a USDA County Executive Director's position and relocated the family to the Permian Basin, closer to their ancestral home. The couple lived in Garden City and welcomed their third son there in 1980. In her years there, Elena completed her associate's degree from Howard Junior College in Big Spring and worked for the Glasscock County Entomology Office in the historic courthouse for many years. The years in Garden City were the last the family would spend together. By 1988, the couple accepted another transfer to Jim Wells County moving to Alice where Elena continued furthering her education at Bee County College. In the late summer of 1989, Joe died suddenly and tragically. Elena moved back to San Antonio to raise the younger two of her sons in Schertz. She became a paralegal while there, attending classes at the University of Texas - San Antonio. Elena worked several jobs while her youngest two completed grade school, and then high school at Schertz Samuel Clemens - living directly across from the school.
At the time of her death, she was an employee of the Texas Department of Public Safety - Crime Records Division in Austin, where she commuted daily from San Antonio for 17 years. She also served as a volunteer Election Judge for the Texas Secretary of State's Office for over 30 years; traveling the state of Texas working polls as a judge and Spanish translator - she never missed an election. Elena was very close to her TxDPS family. Her patriotism for country could only be matched by her love for service to the great state of Texas, that which she shared with thousands of TxDPS employees across the state.
Elena is survived by her siblings, three sons and seven grandchildren: Alicia Layne of Alpine; Camila Estrada of Cleveland, Ohio; Juan Salmon of Kermit, and Maria Teresa Salmon of San Antonio. Her sons and their families: Leah and John Daniel Esparza of Austin and their children - Jake Pecos, Joshua Brazos and Jack Sabine; Danielle and Javier Esparza of Vancouver, Washington and their children - Jacen Jose, Amelia Kate, Anna Elena and Eli Michael Ronald; and Joseph Esparza of Austin.
Viewing will be held Sunday, May 8, 2016, from 5:00PM to 9:00PM, at the Schertz Funeral Home, 2217 F.M. 3009 in Schertz, Texas. Rosary will begin at 7:00PM. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 8:30 AM, Monday, May 9, 2016, at Good Shepard Catholic Church, 1065 East Live Oak Road, Schertz, Texas with interment to follow at 10:00AM, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road, San Antonio, Texas, Fr. Ed Pavlicek presiding.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes donations be made to the Texas Department of Public Safety Foundation in memory of Elena Esparza, by designating her by name, either by mail or online, TXDPS, P.O. Box 6178, San Antonio, Texas 78209, http://texasdpsfoundation.org/donate/.
The family wishes to thank all for the tremendous outpouring of overwhelming love and support.
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