Esmeralda Hernandez

Esmeralda (Lala) Perez Hernandez was born on November 16, 1935, in Alice, TX to Encarnacion and Margarita Perez. She attended school in Alice ISD. Her parents and young siblings (Cosme, Viola, Lala, Santos, Tina, Lupe, Alicia, Encarnacion Jr. and Rosa) all worked in the cotton fields of north Texas,(Lamesa, Stamford and Anson, TX). The older children helped their parents and worked on the farming fields in south Texas (Robstown, Mercedes, and surrounding areas). The family decided to move north to Abilene, TX. On occasions, the family would migrate to work in Oklahoma and Colorado. On December 12, 1953, she married Mariano (Fernando) Chico Hernandez. The marriage was blessed with 3 children. Her husband, Fernando preceded her in death on May 20, 2019.
Lala was a housewife during her early years while raising 3 boys but worked throughout her life to make ends meet. She worked in the cotton fields of north Texas (where she met her husband Fernando), sold snow cones in the neighborhood, sold tamales in the winter, and sold hand woven blankets. At the same time, she raised her boys and taught them life lessons.
After she learned how to drive, she worked for Hendricks Memorial Hospital in housekeeping for 14 years and finally retired.
Lala devoted her life to her boys and her beautiful life will forever be cherished in the lives of her family and close neighbors (sons and neighbor):
- Son, Johnny Hernandez, and wife Linda of Abilene; grandchildren, Johnny Jr. (deceased) and Crystal Rodriguez and husband Jerry of Abilene; great grandson, Kaisen Rodriguez.
- Son, Martin Hernandez, and wife Amy of Abilene; grandchildren, Martin Jr. and wife Hillary of Abilene; great grandchildren, Levi, Maxtin, and Ayla Rose Hernandez, and Desi Cordova and husband Manuel of Aubrey, TX; grandchildren, Lucas, Liliana, and Noe Cordova.
- Son, Mariano Hernandez, and wife Elina of Garland, TX; grandchildren, Sonny/Mariano and wife Kathy of Wylie, TX; great grandchildren, Luciana, Mateo, Paulina and Noemi; granddaughter, Esmeralda Chacon and husband Rudy of Rowlett, TX; great grandchildren, Nia, Talya, Eva and Alexa.
- Billy Enriquez and wife Tina of Abilene; their children, Rick Enriquez, Heather Hermoso and husband David of Abilene.
Lala lived in the same house and neighborhood for about 70 years. She became very close to all the neighbors on Shelton St. and surrounding area. If she was here today, she would want to tell all the neighbors that visited her house, all the children that grew up in the area that knew her and her family and say a heartfelt...... God Bless you all and thank you all for the memories.
Visitation will be 6:00 PM-8:00PM, Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Elmwood Funeral Home Chapel, 5750 Hwy 277 South. Funeral services will be Friday, May 19, 2023, 10:00AM at St. Vincent Pallotti Catholic Church, 2525 Westview Dr. Internment will follow at Elmwood Memorial Park.
Pallbearers for the service will be, Jerry Rodriguez, Rudy Chacon, Sonny Hernandez, Martin Hernandez, Jr., Nia Chacon, Talya Chacon, Manuel Cordova, Rudy Ramirez.
God Bless you all and thank you for all the memories.