Epifania C. Silva

Epifania C. Silva

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, Epifania C. Silva of Taylor died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her children. She had suffered a series of strokes, and had been bedridden since August 2010.

Epifania was born in Milano, Texas, on April 7, 1914, and grew up in Taylor. She was the eldest of nine children born to Juan and Francisca Carrizales. Her parents were immigrants who had come to Texas from Mexico in the 1900s. In December 1934, at the age of 20, she married Jesse H. Silva. They had celebrated 74 years of marriage by the time of his death in January 2009.

She is survived by her six children: Dolores S. Smith of Bethesda, Maryland; Kathleen Silva (and friend John King) of Austin; Jesse Silva Jr. and Robert Silva (Donna) of Fort Worth; Maria Elena Singelmann (Peter) of Kansas City, Missouri; and Frances Villarreal (George) of El Paso. Surviving grandchildren include Christine Gonzales (Stephen) of Taylor; Richard Silva of Round Rock; Kathy Gauntt (Jason) of Leander; Anthony Silva of Moreno Valley, California; Brenda Worster (Ken) of Aledo; Candy Sarvis (James ) of Atlanta, Georgia; Anne Hahn-Smith (Stephen) of Benicia, California; Irene Smith Landsman (Ron) of Garrett Park, Maryland; Sara Capozzi-Smith (Jolene) of Silver Spring, Maryland; Claudia Singelmann (and fiancé Michael) of Atlanta, Georgia; Jan Singelmann (Erica) of Chevy Chase, Maryland; and Mario Singelmann of Kansas City, Missouri.

Epifania was an amazing woman who worked hard alongside her husband all of her life – in raising their children, supporting their family, and instilling family and spiritual values. It is difficult to separate the life of one from the life of the other until her husband’s death in 2009. From the late 1930s to the 1960s, the family worked as migrant workers. They drove each summer to North Dakota and later to Minnesota (and other states “up north” where they found work), returning to Taylor in the fall. Those trips took place only after school was out in Taylor, so that their children’s schooling would not be interrupted. In the fall, the children attended school wherever they happened to be; they might attend one school on a Friday and a school in a different state on the following Monday. Though she and Jesse had themselves not gotten beyond the elementary grades, they made sure each of their children got an education that would provide an easier life than theirs had been. And they made it possible for their children to complete high school and continue on to college and beyond.

Because faith was integral to their lives, Epifania and Jesse also made sure that, just as their children attended school during the week, they also attended church on Sundays. It was a given that the family would be at an early Mass each Sunday wherever they happened to be, whether it was “up north,” in states between, or back home in Taylor.

Epifania had an incredible memory that failed her only in her final years. As recently as five years ago, before she became bedridden, she could recite the Sunday liturgy (to herself, but aloud) alongside and sometimes even ahead of the priest who was celebrating the Mass. She remembered the birth dates, wedding anniversaries, and special occasions of family and friends. Over the past decade, that memory faded as dementia set in, and she often had trouble recognizing even family members. But she could always be counted on for a good sense of humor, bringing laughter in totally unexpected moments.

Epifania had a hand in the raising of four generations: her eight siblings, her own children, and then her grandkids and even her great-grandchildren. For the children, she and Jesse set an example for marriage, for being accepting of children, and for having fun. In a show of respect for each other, throughout their lives they referred to each other using the formal “usted,” never the familiar “tu.”

They had grandchildren living with them at various times. They had a direct hand in raising Alec and Emilio, and later, Mireya while both their parents worked. At the time, their own children worried about the demands involved – might they be too much, for a couple getting on in years. In fact, the kids kept Epifania and Jesse young. There were also summer visits from Kathy, Anne, and Jan, Mario, and Claudia. Then there were the ahijados and ahijadas, the children of their compadres, not to mention the kids next door (children of their neighbor Celestina Arias, who became part of the Silva extended family) who adopted Grandma and Grandpa.

Epifania is survived by two brothers: Jose Carrizales (Dora) of Detroit, Michigan, and Ramon Carrizales (Nancy) of Bradenton, Florida. She is also survived by 28 great-grandchildren: Alex, Emilio, and Mireya Gonzales; Matthew and Jordan Davidson; Kamryn and Jade Worster; Jesse and Ciera Silva; Jennifer Silva; Anthony Xavier Silva; Madeleine, Elijah, and Jackson Hahn-Smith; Brittney Singelmann; Damien and Nadia Singelmann; Nancy Maté; Sara Ruth Zirm; Philip and Emily Gauntt; Kaylin, Elsa, Celeste, and Olivia Silva; Jorden Goodspeed; Patrick Cavanagh; and Elizabeth Landsman. Great-great-grandchildren include Marcus, Kyle, Dominic, and Alyssa Taylor; Sam and Benjamin Cavanagh; Isaac Jaden Silva; and Destiny Denise Liserio.

She is survived by four sisters-in-law: Gregoria Magallon and Hilaria Valdez of Fort Worth, Consuelo Carrizales of Taylor, and Beatrice Carrizales of Waco. She was predeceased by her one sister, Consuelo Santos; five brothers: Ambrosio, Juan, Henry, Andrew, and Paul Carrizales; and by one infant granddaughter and one infant great-granddaughter.

Visitation will be 5:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 22, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, followed by recitation of the rosary at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. Father Efrain Villanueva will officiate, along with Father Pedro Garcia.

Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, where she will be buried alongside her husband.