Ernestina Zuniga

December 6, 1929 - February 20, 2022

Ernestina Zuniga, age 92, passed away peacefully in the early evening hours of Sunday, February 20, 2022 at Pecan Valley Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, with her loving family by her side. Ernestina was born on December 6, 1929 in San Antonio to the late Elisandro and Teresa Garza Zuniga. Ernestina was the proud and loving mother of 3 beautiful girls. With the support of her parents, she provided and cared for her daughters with unconditional love. A single mother, Ernestina worked hard while balancing the duties of being “mom” to her beloved daughters. Through strong will and the determination to provide the best she could for her daughters, Ernestina earned her GED and learned how to drive in her early 30’s. Ernestina worked as the cafeteria manager at Adams Elementary School where she enjoyed interacting with countless kids throughout her nearly 20 years there. She enjoyed accessorizing her uniform with colorful, creative broaches for each holiday and everyone at the school, students and staff alike, loved her for it. Those who knew Ernestina best will remember her beautiful laugh, kindness, open-mindedness, intelligence and wit. Ernestina was not a homebody. She loved dancing, traveling, going out to restaurants, and anything that meant spending time with the family. Ernestina was a long time member of the St. Lawrence Catholic Church and later the Holy Name Catholic Church with her beloved daughter, Barbara. Everyone who had the privilege of meeting Ernestina will remember how her wit and charm would light up a room. Ernestina leaves behind a legacy of love and dedication that will live on for generations. Ernestina is survived by three daughters, Rebecca Villela, Teresa Gutierrez and wife Shelley Ettinger, and Barbara Villarreal; grandchildren Marcos Villela and Leticia Villela Smith and husband Preston Blaine; great-grandchildren, Noah, Lucas and Max Smith; and by a host of other relatives and very special friends. Ernestina was also preceded in death by two brothers, Isidro Zuniga and Ernest Zuniga, and by one son-in-law, Zeferino Villela. The Funeral Mass for Ernestina Zuniga will be held at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at Holy Name Catholic Church (3814 Nash Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78223) with Father Martin F. Parayno officiating. The Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 9:00 A.M. Interment will conclude the services at First Memorial Park Cemetery (20567 TX-16, Von Ormy, TX 78023) with Franco Guevara, Gilbert Guevara, Eric Hernandez, Blaine Smith, David Suarez, and John Villela serving as pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M., Monday evening, at Mission Park Funeral Chapels South, 1700 S.E. Military Dr., San Antonio, TX 78214. The family of Ernestina would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to the staff of Pecan Valley Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center who tirelessly took care of her for almost 10 years. There are no amount of words that can truly express how grateful we are for how well you cared for our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Additionally, the family would like to thank the medical team and staff of Medical Team Hospice, especially Jenn and Martha, who went above and beyond to make mothers final days comfortable for her.