Sylvia Calderon Garza

June 30, 1945 – June 23, 2025

Sylvia Calderon Garza was born on June 30, 1945, in Brownsville, Texas, to Jose Felix Calderon and Estefana Labrada Calderon. She went to be with the Lord on June 23, 2025, just shy of her 80th birthday.

Sylvia graduated from Brownsville High School and married Benito Garza Jr., on December 29, 1963. In 1972, they moved to Houston, Texas, where they raised their five children with love, devotion, and faith.

Sylvia worked as a teacher’s aide at Briargate Elementary School, where her passion for education blossomed. She later pursued her dream of earning a college degree, graduating cum laude from Texas Southern University in 1990 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a bilingual specialization. She was immensely proud of this achievement and deeply loved her students and her work as an educator.

Outside the classroom, Sylvia enjoyed traveling, especially visiting art museums and churches around the world. Her love for culture, history, and spirituality enriched every journey she took. She enjoyed traveling to museums in Europe along the Rhine River and Danube River. In Amsterdam we both enjoyed the Rembrandt Museum and Van Gogh Museum. She enjoyed the symphony in Vienna.

After the passing of her beloved husband Benito in 2008, Sylvia found companionship and love again, years later to a high school friend who she was in high school band with. She then married Gustavo A. Garza Jr. on May 25, 2019 at Mary Queen Catholic Church and they shared a joyful chapter of life together where they both enjoyed traveling to museums in Europe along the Rhine River, Danube River, Rembrandt Museum and Van Gogh Museum. She enjoyed the symphony in Vienna.

They both were inseparable.

Sylvia is preceded in death by her first husband of 45 years, Benito Garza Jr.; her parents, Jose Felix and Estefana Calderon; her sister, Cynthia Childress; and her brothers, Joseph and Ernesto Calderon.

She is survived by her loving husband, Gustavo A. Garza Jr.; her five children: Karen Barrera and husband Ronald, Pearl Lopez and partner Jimmy Hernandez, Norma Saucedo and husband Kit, Benito Garza III and wife Kristy, and Joseph Garza; her siblings: Gloria Calderon, Lynda Douglass, Robert Calderon and partner Solia Olivarri as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews who will carry on her legacy of love, strength, and education.

Sylvia will be remembered for her compassion, her dedication to her family and students, and her unwavering faith. She touched countless lives and leaves behind a beautiful legacy of grace, learning, and love.

Sylvia has her ashes awaiting her husband to join her as they will travel to be entombed at the Arlington National Cemetery, in Virgina. The journey to Arlington will take place in the future as many have waited for their place in the Arlington National Cemetery.

Services information

Wednesday July 2nd, 2025

9:30 am ~ 11:30 am

Mary Queen Catholic Church

606 Cedarwood Dr.

Friendswood, TX 77546

281-482-1391