Maria Evelia Solis

Maria Evelia T. Solis (Velia) a devoted community advocate and cherished family matriarch, passed away peacefully on May 10, 2026, in Las Alturas de Penitas Nursing Home…Penitas, Texas. Born on February 25, 1937, in La Grulla, Texas, Maria Evelia dedicated her life to the service of others and left a lasting impact through both her professional and personal commitments. Evelia’s journey reflected her resilience and determination. Though her formal education concluded at the seventh grade due to the necessity of working in the fields to support her family, her commitment to self-improvement was unwavering. After marriage and motherhood, she pursued night classes, successfully obtaining her GED/high school equivalency, demonstrating her lifelong dedication to learning and growth.

Her career spanned 17 years at the Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District (RGCCISD), where she worked diligently as a Community Aid recruiter. In this vital role, Maria Evelia championed the needs of migrant families, offering support and assistance that positively influenced countless lives within the community. Her compassionate nature and dedication to helping others were hallmarks of her professional and personal life. Velia was known for her warmth and loving spirit. Described as a loving wife, daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother, she was deeply committed to her family and community. She enjoyed attending church regularly and actively participating in community service. Her passions extended to reading, gardening, and dancing, activities that brought her joy and enriched her daily life.

She is survived by her beloved daughters, Filomena Solis Saenz and Karen Lee Solis Maldonado; grandchildren, Monique S. Ramirez (Rocky), Osbaldo Saenz III (Jolyn), Maxine Saenz (Joel), Darlene Munoz (Pablo), Raul Maldonado III (Damaris), Macario Elias Maldonado, Karina M. Gomez (Azael); and great-grandchildren…Carlos A. Ramirez, Tristan A . Ramirez, Olivia A. Ramirez, Jayden R. Saenz, Jazmine R. Saenz, Phoenix D. Munoz, Gilberto M. Guel, Ariana I. Maldonado, Violet E. Guel, Macario E. Maldonado Jr., Raúl Maldonado IV, Oliver J. Guel. Maria’s brothers, Jesus Trevino (Armandina+) and Tristan Trevino Jr. (Bertha). 

Maria Evelia was preceded in death by her parents, Tristan Trevino and Filomena Rodriguez, her infant son, Jose Macario Solis, and her husband, Macario B. Solis. 

She was also preceded by her siblings Elfida T. Cortez (Jose+), Elvira T. Gonzales (Arturo+), Andres Trevino (Olga+),  Elba T. Gomez (Esteban+), and Arnoldo Trevino (Felicita).

The family will honor Maria’s life with a visitation held at Sanchez Funeral Home, located at 301 East Second St., Rio Grande City, Texas, on May 13, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., including a rosary at 6:00 p.m. A second visitation will occur on May 14, 2026, starting at 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Cristo Rey Catholic Church, 1897 FM 2360, Rio Grande City, Texas, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The burial will follow at Saenz Cemetery in La Victoria, Rio Grande City, commencing at 11:15 a.m.

Pallbearers honoring Maria’s memory include Monique Saenz, Osbaldo A. Saenz III, Maxine Saenz, Tristan A. Ramirez, Raul Maldonado III, Karina M. Gomez, Macario Elias Maldonado, Azael Gomez, and Sergio Solis.

Maria Evelia T. Solis’s legacy of love, compassion, and unwavering dedication to family and community will be remembered and cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing her.