On December 15, 2013, the Lord finally granted Maria’s wish and sent angels to escort her Home where she is rejoicing with the Lord Jesus Christ and her beloved family. Maria Rodriguez Diaz, age 87, was born to late Pedro, Sr. and Alifonsa Rodriguez on April 9, 1926. During WWII she met and married the love of her life, the late Dr./Rev. Gilberto Diaz and they were blessed with a beautiful adoptive daughter who preceded her, the late Olga Arsiaga Vidal. She was also preceded in death by her six brothers, Pedro, Jr., Ramon (the late Elva), Alberto, Sammy, Sr., Luis (Eva) Rodriguez and Pedro III (the late Rosa), three sisters, Consuelo Rodriguez, Francisca Casarez and Juana Arsiaga (the late Jorge), nieces, Lupe Arsiaga, RosaLinda Rodriguez, Alexis Bella Arsiaga-Reeves, MariaLuisa (the late Ernest) Molinar and Leticia Molinar, nephews, Donavan B. Arsiaga-Gallegos, Sammy, Jr., Ramon, Jr., Calib, Rodriguez, Gilbert, Rudy (the late Berta), Sgt. Robert Arsiaga, and Jesse “J” Noel Valles.Left to cherish her memory is son-in-law, Joe Vidal, grandson, Jeffrey (Amy) Vidal, granddaughter, Marissa (Ray) Fuentez, great-grandchildren, Nathan and Kaitlin Vidal, Jordan Vidal and Isabella Fuentez, four sisters, Sylvia (the late Felipe) Galan, Sela (Pastor Jesse) Valles, Precila (Silberio “Chevy”) Martinez and Olivia (Tony) Salazar and over 200 nieces and nephews to the 4th generation.Maria was a loving wife, mother and homemaker and member of the Latin Free Methodist Church. When her husband joined the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ she followed willingly and became a pastor’s wife. They worked together for years building churches in Midland, Hereford, Tulia, Odessa and other cities in Texas. When the Lord called her husband home, she continued to work in the church as Sunday School teacher and worked as a caregiver to the elderly until she retired.She thoroughly loved being the family “patriarch” and enjoyed all the attention she received at family reunions and gatherings. She will be greatly missed but we know she is now where she wanted to be and the Lord has welcomed her as a “good and faithful Servant”.A Celebration of Life service will be held at 7:00 pm, Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at the funeral home under the direction of Pastor Jesse Valles. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, December 19, 2013 at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Chapel in Midland. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park.Pallbearers will be Jordan Vidal, Nathan Vidal, Richard Galan, Jesse F. Valles, Michael Martinez, Mooney Martinez, Ricky Salazar and Mark Salazar. Honorary pallbearers will be Isabella Fuentez and Kaitlin Vidal.The family wishes to express their most sincere appreciation to Dr. Slaughter, nurses and caregivers at Legion Senior Care Center and Compass Hospice for their loving care of our beloved Maria.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at: www.npwelch.com,
