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Carmen V. Grajeda, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and aunt was called home by our heavenly Father on June 4, 2021, at the age of 94. She was preceded in death by her parents, Santiago and Florencia Villarreal, her loving husband, Arturo R. Grajeda; her beloved son, Arturo Grajeda Jr., and her beautiful granddaughters Amanda Rose Almendarez and Liza Nicole Vasquez. Her sisters, San Juana Trevino and Manuela V. Tijerina and her brothers Pantaleon, Jose, Santiago, Felipe, Fernando, Rosalio and Alberto Villarreal. Carmen leaves her daughters Rosalinda Grajeda, Mary Weaver (Robert), Yolanda Grajeda, her sons Rene Grajeda (Anna), and Robert Grajeda. She also leaves 14 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Carmen was born on July 16, 1926, in Laredo, TX where she lived until she met and married her husband Arturo. Together they moved to San Antonio, where they built a home and family together. Carmen was an extraordinary woman. She believed in the strong bond of family and was always ready with advice, direction, or a home-cooked meal. She was steadfast in her beliefs and convictions, but her door was always open, and she hosted everyone with enthusiasm and joy, even if it was a first-time meeting. She lived life with passion and purpose, encouraging her children and grandchildren to pursue their dreams and seek to build a life for themselves. And she walked what she talked. Always productive, she held various jobs outside of the home and when the time came to retire, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to start a home-based daycare and become the neighborhood Avon beauty consultant. While Carmen was the epitome of hard work, she also knew how to have fun. She loved music, dancing, playing bingo and had a delightful sense of humor. She would light up when sharing stories of younger days, going to dances with her brother Felipe and brag about her jitterbug skills. Music would play in the background while she cooked homemade meals, and she would spend hours listening to her favorite artists and singing along to her favorite songs. Carmen’s lively personality meant humor was an integral part of her everyday life. She was quick to play games with her grandchildren, share a joke with friends or just be silly with her husband, who was an eternal prankster. Talking with Carmen, you were guaranteed to smile and laugh. She is and will always be a model of what it means to love and live for family. We were blessed beyond measure to have her as our mom. She will be greatly missed and forever be in our hearts. A heartfelt Thank You to the Doctors, Nurses and CNA’s at Vitas Hospice for the care they provided our mom, which allowed us to keep her at home, surrounded by her family. We remain profoundly grateful to her CNA’s Miriam and Alma who always treated mom like the queen she was. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3 Visitation will begin on Monday, June 28, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. with a rosary service at 6:00 p.m., at Mission Park Funeral Chapels South. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.

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Carmen V. Grajeda

July 16, 1926 - June 4, 2021