Sandra Ann

Trevino Smith

My beloved mother, Sandra Ann Treviño Smith, 74, of Harlingen, Texas, passed away peacefully in her sleep and joined our Lord and Savior on Sunday, January 8, 2023.

She was born on December 7, 1948, to Plinio Jose (Joe) Treviño and Lillian Eugenia Guernsey Treviño in Minatitlán, Veracruz, Mexico and was the third of seven children (and the mother-like figure in her sibling's lives). After graduating from Harlingen High School in 1967, she went on to study Business School courses at Valley Central College, Accounting preparatory courses at Texas Southmost College, Computer Entry courses at Texas State Technical Institute and finally in 1998 at the age of forty (40), she went back to school to study and obtain her certificate in Dental Laboratory Technology at Texas State Technical College.

After graduating high school and taking business courses, she started her career in accounting and bookkeeping and worked for Rio Hondo Co-Op, Valley Barber & Beauty Supply, Bush Plumbing & Electrical Wholesale Supply, Texas Meat Purveyors, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas State Technical College, and Santa Maria ISD.

In 1971, she gave birth to her daughter Cristi, and it was on that day that mother and daughter bonded forever and lived to conquer the world as a team.

Being a single mother, in the seventies (1970's) proved to be the beginning of a lifetime of courageous decisions she made throughout her life. Being a single mother with a child was not what was done, allowed, or even accepted as "normal" or "proper" at that time. My mother went against the norms, the private one-on-one discussions, the gossip and the "looks and stares" that people gave her (and eventually me) and chose to have, keep, love, and raise me. This one decision started her on a lifetime path of "doing it alone and doing it afraid". But make no mistake, if you met my mother and got to know her, you would have never thought she was "doing it afraid".  My birth was the start of her raising me and me raising her. We were mother and daughter first but also, the very best of friends.

In 1985, against all the odds against her (single mother, single income) and people telling her that she would never be a homeowner…it just couldn't be done…my mother purchased our first and only home (it was the third home built in the Secluded Acres subdivision). It was here that we finally had a home to call our own and make thirty-eight (38) years of wonderful memories. Our home became the go-to house where my girlfriends and I had almost weekly sleepovers and/or weekend dance parties where all friends were invited for some good, clean fun! Not to mention, it became the home that family and friends came to during the trying times in their own lives when they needed a warm and welcoming home and shelter to weather the storm they were going through.

Now being a homeowner, my mother became a master gardener and a woodworker extraordinaire.  She had the best manicured lawn on the street and became the standard for this new and growing neighborhood while all of our antique furniture pieces were restored to mint and beautiful condition.

In 2011, she retired from Santa Maria ISD and spent her time traveling back and forth from her home in Harlingen to Houston to spend time with her daughter and son-in-law and to travel and vacation with them especially when the vacation was a casino trip. She truly enjoyed those vacations!

Her favorite activities in life included doing extracurricular activities with me like piano lessons, ballet classes, twirling lessons, softball, basketball and volleyball practices/games, swim classes/meets, track and field practices/meets, sewing lessons/competitions, and sewing my dresses for all of my school dances and/or beauty pageants that she would enroll me in; cooking and feeding family and friends; lawn and plant care; woodworking and restoring of antiques; playing all the games of the Texas Lottery; and her all-time favorite…going on vacations that included casino gambling where she was always a big cash winner!

Her best advice to me…Never take no for an answer Cristi…just keep on knocking on doors until you get the answer you need and the solution you seek…and do it afraid if need be.

My mother was predeceased by her father, Plinio Jose (Joe) Treviño (1997), her mother Lillian Eugenia Guernsey Treviño (2011) and her brother Eugene (Gene) Joseph Treviño (2004).

She is survived by her daughter Cristi (David) Cruz of Richmond; four (4) sisters: Toni Garza of Harlingen; Sylvia (Buster) Higgins of Corpus Christi; Lilly (Walter (Wally) Sr.) Winters of Harlingen; Cynthia Treviño Burns of Harlingen; and one (1) brother Joey (Laura) Treviño of Harlingen. And I cannot leave out her best friend, Sylvia Zamarron of Houston.

She is also survived by sixteen (16) nephews and nieces, twenty-five (25) grand nephews and nieces and two (2) great-grand nephews: Henry (Pamela) Garza Jr. (Henry III ((Henry)), Victoria, Emma) of Hebbronville; Richard Garza of Harlingen; Patti Huber (Matthew, Joshua, Rebekah, Hannah, Sarah, Abigail, Timothy, Benjamin, Bethany) of Fort Worth; Ryan Higgins (Nate ((Harrison)), Mary) of Corpus Christi; Amy Higgins of Denton; Leslie (Sergio) Jerez (Daniel, Julian) of Katy; Emily (Mark) Gutierrez (Zachary, Liam, Bailey) of Corpus Christi; Sara (David) Winters (Benjamin, Charlotte, William) of Harlingen; Katie Winters of Austin; Walter (Wally) Winters Jr. of Harlingen; Travis Burns (Aster) of Harlingen; Michael (Amy) Burns (Jack, Parker) of Dallas; Ally Treviño of Austin; Sydney (Mark) Hiler of Austin; Addison Martinez of Harlingen and Brayden Balderrama of Harlingen.

It was her wish not to have any type of funeral services and requested to be cremated.  Trinity Funeral Homes (www.trinityfunerals.com) in Harlingen, Texas has done a wonderful service of honoring her wishes exactly as she requested. The Treviño/Cruz family would like to especially thank Lenny Elizondo and his team for the loving care they have provided the family during this time of grief and mourning.

A Celebration of Life will be announced and held in Richmond, Texas at a later date.

Rest in peace my beautiful Mama. We will love and remember you forever. Until we see you again…keep the slot machines hot and paying out!