Juanita G. Cantu, 94, peacefully passed from this life into the church triumphant on Sunday, April 22, 2018. Juanita, a resident of Brownsville, Texas had been a resident of Barcelona Assisted Living facility in McAllen for the past two years.
As a leader in her community, she was one of the first Hispanic women store managers in the downtown area of Brownsville for a period of 20 years. She later managed the family owned Can-2 Fence Co. for 20 years as well. Always a confident and strong woman, Juanita raised her 6 children to value education, personal, and professional success. She loved to travel to Rome, New York, and Las Vegas and once waited over 13 hours in the hot San Antonio sun to see Pope John Paul II. She always loved music such as Mariachi and other live concerts. Some of her favorite songs were “You are My Sunshine”, “Amor Eterno” and “Bendito, Bendito”.
She enjoyed being an avid newspaper reader to stay abreast of the latest news and keeping up with community events. She also supported her community and church, donating security fencing and sponsoring glass stained windows for St. Joseph Catholic church in Brownsville, Texas.
One of Juanita’s greatest joys was being a loving nanny to Kris Kristofferson, an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor, whom she reared from the age of 6 months to the age of 12. Juanita was only 13 years old when she was hired by the Kristofferson family. Juanita, who was still a child herself, took care of him as if he was her own. The two of them developed a loving relationship that lasted a lifetime. He was present with the family at her bedside in her final days of life.
Preceding her in death is her spouse Eleuterio Cantu, her parents Fernando & Paula Gonzalez, and her grandson, Dr. Ernesto Cantu, Jr.
Juanita is survived by 3 sons; Ernesto, Enrique, and Erasmo “Fred” (Yolanda) Cantu, and 3 daughters; Dr. Elvia (Dr. Jose Angel) Rodriguez, Maria Elena (Al) Beltran, and Elsa Cantu. Her 10 grandchildren; Christine Troiani, Luinda (Scott) Combs, Dr. Vanessa and Kevin Cantu, Dr. Marisela Annette and Jaime Rodriguez, Christopher Lee & Dr. Stacy Renay Beltran, Ricardo and Christina Cantu, and 5 great-grandchildren: Dominic and Sophia Troiani, Holden and Jake Combs and Phoebe Cordero.
A Holy Mass will be celebrated by Monsignor Gus Barrera at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 1108 W. Hackberry Ave. in McAllen on Friday, April 27, 2018 at 10:00 A.M.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. on Friday, April 27, 2018, with the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 6:30 P.M. followed by the recitation of the Holy Rosary to follow at 7:00 P.M. Friday evening at Darling Mouser Funeral Home.
A funeral Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 555 W. St. Francis St., in Brownsville, Texas on Saturday, April 28, 2018, at 10:00 A.M. Committal services will follow at Buena Vista Burial Park.
Christopher Beltran, Kevin Cantu, Scott Combs, Falcon Rivera, Jr., Jaime Rodriguez and Dominic Troiani are honored to be serving as Juanita’s pallbearers. Honorary Pallbearers are: Al Beltran, Ricardo Cantu, Dr. Joe Rodriguez, Kris Kristofferson, and Joe Trevino.
