[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22974]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING MANUELITA GUAJARDO JUAREZ 100TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HENRY CUELLAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 3, 2007

  Mr. CUELLAR. I rise today to honor Mrs. Manuelita Guajardo Juarez on 
her reaching her 100th birthday. She is an inspiring member of the 
community in Laredo, TX.
  Mrs. Manuelita Guajardo Juarez was born on July 30, 1907 in Laredo, 
TX. She is the third child to Manuel Guajardo and Rafaelita Esparza 
Guajardo. Her siblings were Abelino, Adela, Jose, Alberto, Guadalupe, 
Elijia, and Tomasita. As a child, she attended the El Profesor 
Dominguez School. Her father worked for the Tex-Mex Railroad Company 
and moved his family to a Tex-Mex substation named ``El Pescador'' 
where she attended school for several years.
  In 1918, at the tender age of 11, she lost her mother to the 
influenza epidemic that hit Laredo in late 1918. Her father then moved 
his family to a ranch in Devine, TX, to live with his brother, 
Guadalupe Guajardo and his family. Manuelita's father lived at the 
ranch until he passed away in 1924 and is buried in Big Foot, TX.
  Manuelita stayed in Devine until she married Victorino Juarez on May 
14, 1930 at San Jose Catholic Church in Devine. She returned to Laredo 
as a young bride and lived with her in-laws in a home located several 
blocks from San Agustin Cathedral. Manuelita and Victorino Juarez are 
the parents of three daughters: Maria Minerva Juarez Ramirez from San 
Antonio, TX, Rosa Alicia Juarez Sciaraffa, and Amelia Juarez 
Magallanes, who reside in Laredo, TX. Manuelita still lives at 803 
O'Kane Street in a home her late husband bought in 1937.
  Every morning up to the age of 99, she watered her plants that 
surround her home. Because she can no longer do this, her daughters now 
attend to her garden. Gardening and sewing have always been her two 
favorite hobbies. Manuelita has 15 grandchildren who live throughout 
Texas, 19 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. She 
is the proud matriarch of five generations in her family.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to have had the opportunity to recognize 
the dedication of Mrs. Manuelita Guajardo Juarez to her community, and 
ask you to join me in honoring her on her birthday.

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