Elida Leonilla Alderete

Elida Leonilla Alderete, 95, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, May 28, 2023.

Elida was born in Anna Rose, Texas on January 17, 1928, to Francisco Alegria and Clorinda Weston Alegria. She grew up going to dances at her Tia Pinky’s dance hall, La Posta Ramirena. That love of dancing was “in the bone and can’t help it” as her aunt, Tia Nona used to say. It was there that she met her husband, Simon Alderete, whom she married in April, 1950.

In 1971, Elida and Simon moved their family from Anna Rose to Arlington. Elida retired from the US postal service after working the graveyard shift at the Arlington post office for over 20 years. She then began volunteering at Arlington Memorial Hospital. She continued going to dances at the local recreation center with her cousins, Evelia Chapa and Odilia Salinas, where they would dance the evening away and gossip and giggle like teenage schoolgirls.

Elida was a kind, gentle, strong, independent woman, the matriarch of the Weston/Alegria family who was deeply loved and respected by her daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces, cousins, friends, and friends and families of her children and grandchildren. Everyone loved Mamo and she will be dearly missed!

Elida was preceded in death by her parents, Francisco Alegria and Clorinda Weston Alegria; her husband, Simon Alderete; brothers Atlee Edwin and Juan Alegria; sister-in-law Frances Alegria; daughter Lucinda Hernandez and granddaughter Laura Nicole Hernandez.

She is survived by daughters Dina Salinas and Linda Tovar; grandchildren Christina Cotter, Christopher Lopez (Theresa), Gabriel Alderete (Evelyn), Michael Hernandez Jr. (Erica), Angelica Tolliver (Jay) and Vanessa DeLeon-Kennedy (Erik); great grandchildren Damion and Jaden, Sierra and Isabella, Evelyn, Eddie and Elijah, Esperanza, Dolores, Fae, Evelyn and Michael III, Jayvyn, Jayden, Max and soon to be born, Portlyn Zella; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members and friends.