Virginia (Aviles) Salazar

Virginia Aviles Salazar passed away Friday, July 31, 2020 in San Antonio, Texas

Family will have a private Rosary, Mass and Interment.

Virginia was born August 9, 1954 in Moody, Texas to Benjamin and Cecilia Aviles.  While employed at Waco Apparel, she met her future husband, Carlos Salazar Jr. They were married on June 10, 1977 and resided in Hewitt, Texas after their marriage.  They celebrated 43 years of marriage in June.  She was a member of St. Jerome Catholic Church.

Virginia attended McGregor Schools.  She began her working career with Wolf Manufacturing in 1973.  After Wolf she was employed with Waco Apparel.  She began her career with Goldstein Migel in 1984.  She was employed as a buyer in the lingerie department.  While at Goldstein she developed Kidney Disease which led to dialysis.  Determined to go on she continued her employment with Goldstein Migel until 1988 when it became difficult. While on dialysis she was an inspiration to us all for 13 ½ years. She then got the call from Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. God blessed her with a donated Kidney that changed her life on September 12, 2000.  That day she received the gift of life.  She was informed by the hospital that being on dialysis for 13 ½ years she had been on dialysis longer than anyone in the state of Texas before being blessed with their 1st transplant.  At the time she was #4 in the United States.  While still in the hospital she was asked if she was up to and willing to have a news conference at the hospital celebrating her milestone.  She accepted in the hopes it would promote organ donation.  With reporters, television cameras, there Virginia along with transplant doctors Francis Wright and Preston Foster talked about the transplant and answered questions.  Her story was told on television stations in San Antonio, newspaper, medical gazette and Hispanic paper in San Antonio.  The Waco Tribune Herold had her story on December 2000.  Her transplanted Kidney is not what ended her life.  If she was not in heaven right now, her blessed Kidney would still be functioning beautifully.  I know Virginia was a fighter, she is the toughest, most determined human being I will ever know.  She was a blessing to anyone around her.

The las few years she was a homemaker. She loved cooking and baking. Her Christmas cookies and birthday cakes were the best.  Our Christmas gatherings and celebrating every year her anniversary of her transplant with family at Round Rock Saltgrass is what she truly enjoyed.  Her life was all about her daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She truly loved her time she was able to spend with them. When watching movies she loved westerns with John Wayne and Audie Murphy and Jimmy Stevart.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents Cecilia and Benjamin Aviles and brother Daniel Aviles

Survivors included her husband Carlos Salazar Jr. of Hewitt; daughters Rene Olvera and husband Willie of Hewitt, Tina Salazar of Jamestown, N.Y.; grandchildren Lorenzo and Ashton, Julie and husband Mike Deleon of Hewitt, Olivia and husband Daniel Garcia of Moody; great grandchildren Santiago, Thalia and Lena. Sisters Angela Aviles of Waco, Tommie Estrada and husband Steven of Waco, Diana Zapata and husband Jose of McGregor; brothers Adam and Victor Aviles of McGregor. Friend and cousin Elveta Trejo.

Pallbearers will be Lorenzo Olvera, James Pack, Mike Gonzalez, Larry Moran, Steven Castillo, Mike Deleon and Brian Richardson.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Central Texas Nephrology Associates.  Dr. Robert Go, nurses, Sasha and Susan and Internal medicine Dr. Ronald Wilson.  A special thank you to true life friend to Virginia, Sandra Spears.  She has always been there for Virginia and I.  She is a true blessing.