Sarita T. Escatiola Villarreal

Sarita Teresa Escatiola Villarreal, 79, of Brownsville, Texas passed away peacefully in her Brownville home on January 19, 2025. Sarita was preceded in death by her father, Juan Escatiola, mother Virginia Salinas and her siblings, Armando Escatiola and Juan Manuel Escatiola. Sarita is survived by her spouse, Gilberto Villarreal and her children, Maria E. Cantu (Hugo), Santa V. Garcia (Francisco), Gabriel Vallejo (Isabel), Jorge M. Vallejo (Rosie), Santos Vallejo Jr., and Lily Vallejo (Ruben), as well as her 26 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Her brothers Alberto Escatiola (Lori), Miguel Escatiola, Daniel Escatiola and her sisters Virgina Vela (Alejandro), Herminia Trevino, Sylvia Escatiola, her uncle Fernando Salinas and aunt Rosa M. Munoz Juarez, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Sarita worked for many years in the retail industry beginning with department stores like Darcy’s, Three Sisters, and Melrose, always in managerial positions. She also worked at Sam’s Club, but her greatest passion was bookkeeping and income tax preparation. Sarita was employed by many businesses doing payroll and taxes. She built her own business with over 50 years of experience that has been passed on to her immediate family. Sarita’s pursuit of knowledge led her to obtain a certificate in Business Accounting from Southern Careers Institute in 2021 at the age of 76.

Sarita was very active in her community; she played the saxophone in the Brownsville High School Marching Band and when her children attended James Pace High School, she was always active in band boosters. Her love of music continued through adulthood, Sarita had been an active member of the congregation at Principe De Paz, where she started a band, Sarita had also been a Sunday School Teacher at Principe de Paz. Sarita volunteered her time at political campaigns and was passionate in her beliefs. She was very social and loved cook-outs, playing loteria and spending time with her family, eating out, and listening to her favorites: Elvis Presley and Selena. She was very well known and well respected by so many people. She taught others how to be leaders and guided them on how to start businesses of their own. She was a savvy woman who gave great advice.

Beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Sarita loved and was very proud of all her loved ones. She was always ready to help anyone in need. She will be dearly missed by her family, friends and all who knew her.

Visitation for Ms. Villarreal will take place on Friday, January 24, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 6:00 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home and Crematorium.  The chapel will open at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2025, with a chapel service at 10:00 a.m. and burial to follow at 11:00 a.m. at Buena Vista Burial Park.

Services are under the guidance of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home, Crematory & Flower Shop. 657 Springmart Blvd., Brownsville, Texas. (956) 350-8485.

To send flowers or a plant to the family in the memory of Ms. Sarita Escatiola Villarreal, please visit Shalom Sympathy Florals at Sunset Memorial, place your order online at https://shalomflorals.com/shop or call (956) 572-3872.