Cecilia "Dolly" Cervantes

BROWNSVILLE, TX. - Cecilia Estella Cervantes, affectionately known as Dolly, was born on November 25, 1928 in Brownsville, Texas, daughter of the late Alfred Burke Cortez and Florence Simo Cortez, who were descendants of a Port Isabel pioneer family. Cecilia peacefully went into the arms of Jesus in the comfort of her Brownsville residence surrounded by her three children and close friends on Friday, the 25th of July 2025, four months shy of her 97th birthday.

Cecilia attended Incarnate Word Academy and graduated from Villa Maria high School in 1947. A devout Catholic, she was a parishioner of St. Luke Catholic Church. Cecilia married her childhood friend, Raul Cervantes, and together they had three children.

She worked at Brownsville Public Utilities Board for many years when it was downtown. She then worked as a paraprofessional with the Brownsville Independent School District at J. T. Canales Elementary until her retirement. She touched countless children's lives and left wonderful memories, just as she did with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. When out at the mall or a restaurant, former students would recognize her and tell her of their fond memories. Once, a young lady told of how Mrs. Cervantes picked her up because she was crying. Mrs. Cervantes placed her on her lap and talked to her, she stopped crying and felt so much better.

Preceding Cecilia in death were her husband Raul Cervantes; her parents, Alfred Burke Cortez and Florence Simo Cortez; her brother, John Cortez; as well as several cousins.

Survivors include her three children Norma Gonzales (Aurelio), Tessie Quintanilla (Hector), and Jerry Cervantes (Alpha); her five grandchildren Erika Forman (David), Eric Gonzales (Cindy), Jenny Montelongo (Sergio), Sarah Dick (Gavin), and Nathan Cervantes (Erin); 11 great-grandchildren Allie and Jacob Hanson, Sofia and Zeke Gonzales, Olivia and her namesake, Cecilia, Montelongo, Lani, Lina, and Liam Cervantes, and Bowen and Brady Forman; her niece and nephew, Theresa and John Cortez; and her former grandson-in-law, Ramsey Hanson.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, the 30th of July 2025 between the hours of three o’clock in the afternoon and nine o'clock at night, with the recitation of the holy rosary to begin at seven o'clock Wednesday evening within the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at two o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 31st of July 2025 at St. Luke Catholic Church, 2800 Rockwell Drive, Brownsville. Interment will then follow, via an escorted procession, at Buena Vista Burial Park, 5 McDavitt Boulevard, Brownsville.

Honored to serve as her pallbearers will be Jerry Cervantes, Eric Gonzales accompanied by Zeke Gonzales, Nathan Cervantes, Jacob Hanson, Sergio Montelongo, and David Forman.

Honorary pallbearers are Aurelio Gonzales and Hector Quintanilla.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Francis Gumbel and staff, Safe Haven Hospice, and to her telephone buddies who gave her hours of joy and laughter. Thank you Rosie Gonzalez, Lucy Quintanilla, Alma Villarreal, and Cindy Galvan. God Bless all of you.