Carmen Victoria Garay

Carmen Victoria Garay was born Nov. 17, 1923 in Dallas, Texas and has now departed to Heaven receiving a glorious abundant entry into the loving arms of her wonderful Jesus.

She was the daughter of Don Arturo and Panfila Perez, the oldest of four siblings and she was the only girl.

Carmen attended HISD schools and graduated from Milby High School in 1941.

She began working in her father’s grocery store and Mexican Bakery. Carmen then attempted to enter nursing school but unfortunately she became very ill and was unable to continue that dream.

Afterwards she worked a great variety of jobs including translating shipping documents for Lee Shipping.

She had received two marriage proposals and said no. Time was moving on so she declared she was going to say yes the next time the opportunity presented itself. She was visiting relatives in Sombrerete, Zacatecas when she saw a very handsome charro wearing his sombrero riding down the mountain bringing in livestock and she knew there was something special about this man, Alvaro Julian Hernandez Garay. They married in the 50’s and she decided she would give up a professional career and take on the mantel of motherhood. They had five healthy children: Bernadette Elva, James Alvaro, Richard Arnold; Sylvia Lorraine and Michael Charles.

A soul hungry Carmen joyfully received Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior in the late seventies becoming  a born again Christian and then she received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Pastor John Osteen and Dodie were her pastors and Lakewood was her church.  She fell in love with the written Word of God and loved to worship and to pray.  Her kids could find her in the late night hours or early morning on her knees in prayer and speaking scriptures out loud.

Carmen and her daughters entered in the Lakewood Children’s Ministry in 1981 and she was having the time of her life with the preschool children. She served faithfully for years until she was physically no longer able. But she still ministered the love of Jesus wherever she was and whenever she saw a child she spoke to them about Jesus. Carmen retired from volunteering after the year 2000 but never retired from loving life.  She loved all of her children, grandchildren, friends and even strangers.

Carmen lived a full fruitful life full of love, joy and laughter. She was a beautiful reflection of the love of Jesus Christ here on earth.