Esther Saldivar

Esther Saldivar, 82, of Levelland passed from this life on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, in Lubbock, TX. A Rosary will be held at 6 PM on Friday,March 3, 2017 at Krestridge Funeral Home, 505 Austin Street Levelland, TX 79336 . A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017, at 2PM at St. Michael Catholic Church, 316 East Washington Street Levelland, TX 79336.

Esther came to Levelland as a young girl from Mexico with her parents. She attended local schools until her Mother's untimely death at which time she quit school to manage her Father's household. Esther loved to cook and at various times worked at local restaurants.

On August 4, 1966, she married Ernest Duque and they blended their families. The couple soon moved to San Jose, California with their six children. The family said goodbye to five older siblings who remained behind in Texas.

They lived in California for about twenty-five years. The Duque family found California very much to their liking, purchased a home, raised a loving and successful family. During those years she continued working as a cook and had a third son. In addition to working she became a US citizen an accomplishment of which she was very proud. But she didn't stop there, she also went to night school and earned her high school diploma. She loved to learn and was an avid reader.

In January 1984 her husband Ernest past away quite unexpectedly at age 60. After several years and faced with an empty nest she decided to return to her childhood home in Levelland. Esther had long missed her sisters and extended family. After several happy years her health began to fail. However, she was very well cared for by the Hernandez Family an effort that was spearheaded by her loving sister Lupe Cobarrubia.

Esther celebrated her 82nd birthday on January 25, 2017 and unfortunately several weeks later faced a health crisis and succumbed to her illness on February 28th 2017.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, sisters Felipa Juarez, Vicenta Salazar. Natividad Medina, and brother Bernabe Hernandez.

Esther is survived by her children, Olivia Pompa, Rose Castro, Reyna Perez, Dolores DeLeon, Petra Alvarado, Ernesto Duque, Mary Helen Smith, Mary Ann Segura, Luis Hernandez, Dario Duque, Michael Duque, and Joe Duque; brothers, Richard and Maria Elena Hernandez, Salvador Hernandez, Raymond and Mary Hernandez; sisters, Lucy and Willie Sanchez, and Lupe Cobarrubia; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Her family will truly miss her loving nature. She was a quiet woman, but a woman of great dignity and grace. Each member of her family can lovingly recall being touched in some gracious manner by this generous, kind and gentle lady.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Krestridge Funeral Home in Levelland. (806) 897-1111

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