Mrs. Santitos (Sandy) Estrada, 80, of Corpus Christi, Texas, passed away on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at her home..

Sandy was born on May 31, 1941 to Hermenejildo (Gil) and Elia (Ramon) Hinojosa on a beautiful ranch in Benavides, Texas. Her father, Gil had six children (ages 5 - 12 years - Gilberto, Diego, Jaime, Homero, Rosaena and Maria) with his former wife who died young of diabetes complications. Together Gil and Elia had Sandy and Victoria (Vicky) for a total of 8 children. Sandy's father also suffered from diabetes while working their family ranch and farm land in Benavides. The family planted cotton, corn, sugar cane and grain along with tending to cattle and Brahma bulls. Sandy played all sports in school: baseball, volleyball, and tennis. In 1958 her family was forced to move to Alice, Texas when Sandy's father died from diabetes complications. Sandy was 17 years old and a junior in high school. She did not want to move away from Benavides as she loved her town, their beautiful ranch, the school, the teachers and her many friends.

Soon after Sandy met the love of her life, Juan Estada, Jr. of Agua Dulce, Texas. Juan and Sandy were married on June 30,1962 in Alice, Texas. The couple later moved to Corpus Christi, Texas in 1964 as Juan began his teaching career with Corpus Christi ISD. Juan and Sandy had their first two daughters, Diana and Sylvia in 1964 and 1965, afterwhich Sandy began to attend college to pursue her teaching degree. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in education from Corpus Christi State University with a double major, English and Spanish, while awaiting the birth of their third daughter, Sandra, in July, 1970.

Sandy's first teaching job was high school English and Spanish, at Gregory Portland High School in Portland, Texas. As a young mother she drove across the Harbor Bridge every day to get to her school, which was scary to her in the winter months when there was sleet or ice on the bridge. After some years she secured a teaching position with Corpus Christi ISD and attended graduate school in the evenings. In 1977 she received a Master of Science degree in education. She was a dedicated teacher of secondary level teaching English and Spanish, helping prepare students for college. Sandy was well-liked by her students, many going out of their way to greet her in the Corpus Christi community long after they graduated from high school. She enjoyed all of the schools where she taught, but enjoyed the final stint of her

teaching career most, beginning in 1981at Mary Carroll High School where all three of her daughters attended high school. She enjoyed rooting for the Carroll Tigers sports teams. Sandy retired from teaching 1998.

As a retired school teacher Sandy was invited to teach a language program called ESLI at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. It was a part time position funded by a grant where Sandy taught English literacy to foreign students. She enjoyed this special experience where she met international students, most of them being from China and Turkey. She was well-liked by her students as evidenced by her collection of many gifts from them.

After retiring from ESLI in 2014, she devoted her time to taking care of Juan, her husband of 57 years as he became ill. Sandy has always been a prayerful and devout Catholic. Sandy felt a calling to deepen her spiritual life and became increasingly involved in spiritual development, devotions, and church, leading daily Rosary groups (for over twenty five years), and attending daily mass at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church. .

Sandy was joyous, healthy, and full of energy. She loved visiting with people and never met a stranger. She loved going out to eat and loved desserts, especially cakes. Sandy loved all of her family and friends so much. She would check in on everyone daily by phone, following up on the well-being of others and keeping all needs in prayer, remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and special dates. She tended to the needs of her grandchildren and family members.

Sandy is survived by her daughter Diana Gomez and her husband Candido, daughter Sandra Rios and her children D.J. and Alexandra, daughter Sylvia Luera and her husband Gilbert, their daughter Madelyn and their daughter Alysha Conrad and her husband Cash and their children Carter Jane and William Crew, her sister in law Elia Estrada, her niece, Adriana Estringel and several other beloved nieces and nephews.

Sandy was the last of her 8 siblings to pass away. She was also preceded in death by her beloved husband Juan Estrada Jr., her mother Elia R. Hinojosa, her sister Vicky Estringel, her son-in-law Dino Rios, and numerous other extended family members.

Visitation will begin at 5:00pm on Friday, August 6, at Guardian Funeral Home with a Holy Rosary to be recited at 7:00pm that evening. On Saturday, August 7, viewing will be from 9am-11am at Guardian FH; a Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30am at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Seaside Memorial Park.