Obituary: Emma Serrato Barrientos

Emma Serrato

Barrientos Emma Serrato Barrientos, age 67, passed away in the early morning hours of December 28th after a brief illness. Emma was born in Galveston, Texas on February 18, 1942 to Miguel Serrato and Maria V. Serrato. She graduated from Galveston Ball High School in 1960 having been a member of the Ball High Tornettes. Through relatives, Emma met her future husband, Gonzalo Barrientos Jr. of Bastrop, Texas, at the age of 15. They married soon after graduating from high school and moved to Austin where Gonzalo enrolled at the University of Texas. Emma, Gonzalo and their growing family lived in near west, north and east Austin before settling on the south side in the late 1960s. Over the ensuing 50 years Emma would work for Lamme’s Candies, the Travis State School, Travis County Justices of the Peace Guy Herman (now a County Court at Law Judge), David Crain, Tomas Esparza, Juan Duran, Ricardo Madrigal, Mack Martinez, District Judge Lora Livingston and most recently, Travis County Constable Bruce Elfant. Emma was very supportive of her husband but also a leader in her own right. She truly believed that each of us possesses some gift or talent and that we have a corresponding duty to contribute to the betterment of our world. She was active in democratic politics for many years and worked on numerous local, state and national campaigns. She attended several Democratic National Conventions including those in Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Emma was a founding member of the Tejano Democrats and was particularly active in the Austin chapter at the time of her death. She was a permanent member of the Texas Senate Ladies Club, serving as president in 1999. In 2007 she participated in a minority rights conference in New York City sponsored by the Ford Foundation. A devoted mother, Emma made time to be involved in all five of her children’s activities including school functions, cultural and athletic events and booster clubs. A lover of the arts, Emma had a long history of work in the Austin Arts community. She was one of the founding members of the Roy Lozano Ballet Folklorico de Tejas, and instrumental in the creation of the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC). Emma was also a spiritual woman of strong faith. She was a member of St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church, the St. Ignatius Thursday Bible Study Group and Stephen Ministries. Emma Serrato Barrientos was a tender soul whose kindness touched many people over her lifetime. Those left to cherish her precious memory include her husband, former State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Jr; her children, Adelita Barrientos Medel (Matt), Veronica Barrientos Vidaurri (Jorge), Alicia Barrientos Lee (Martin), Angelina Barrientos and Gonzalo Joseph Barrientos (Lisa); a sister, Connie Flores (Raymond); brothers Fred Serrato (Maggie); Robert Serrato (Tina) and Miguel Serrato Jr.; ten grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, god children, extended family members and countless loving friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Tomas Serrato. Pallbearers: Elias Thomas Barrientos, Jesus Alejandro Barrientos, Ruben Barrientos, Andrew Serrato, Raymond Flores, Jr., Javier Fuentes, Mario Fuentes and Antonio Fuentez, III. Honorary Pallbearers: Connie Flores, Velia Sanchez, Hon. Judge Bob Perkins, Alicia M. Barrientos, Matt Medel, Martin Lee, Jr., Jorge Vidaurri, John Cavallaro, John Ray Regalado, Richard and Gertrude Moya, Gloria Aleman, Hon. State Rep. Elliott Naishtat, Hon. Sandra Tenorio, David Flores, Sylvia Camarillo, Hon. Judge Lora Livingston, Hon. Constable Bruce Elfant, Arturo and Eileen Navarro, Jose Uriegas, Jr., Carlos Lopez, Mack Martinez, Johnny Limon and Yolanda Velasquez. Public Visitation will begin at 4:00 p.m., Friday January 1, 2010 at the Mission Funeral Home Serenity Chapel, 6204 South First St., Austin, Texas. A Rosary will follow at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at 10:00 a.m., at the St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church, 120 East Oltorf St., Austin, Texas. Burial will follow immediately at the Texas State Cemetery, 900 Navasota Austin,Texas 78702. At your discretion, donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the Austin Community College (ACC) Barrientos Scholarship Fund in memory of Emma Barrientos, either through the ACC website: http://www.austincc.edu/foundation/scholarships/Barrientos.php or by mail, c/o The ACC Foundation (Barrientos Scholarship Fund), 5930 Middle Fiskville Rd., Austin, Texas 78752. To view memorial on-line, visit www.missionmemorials.com