Leonor Reyes Muñoz's Obituary
Leonor Reyes Muñoz, age 94, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2026, in Dallas, Texas, surrounded by her family and loved ones.
Leonor was born on May 17, 1931, in Romita, Guanajuato, Mexico, to Ignacia García and Tomás Reyes. At just fourteen years old, following the customs of the time, she married Mauricio Muñoz on February 14, 1946. Though their marriage began quickly, the love between them grew deeply and lasted a lifetime. By fifteen, Leonor had welcomed her first son, Martin, and began what would become a life devoted to her husband and their eleven children. Even after Mauricio’s passing in 1984, Leonor remained faithfully devoted to him, carrying his memory with her for more than four decades.
In her early twenties, Leonor, Mauricio, and their two young sons immigrated to the United States, first settling in Michigan, where she worked alongside her husband as a migrant farmworker. They later settled in Texas in the early 1950s, with Dallas becoming her home for the rest of her life. While she built her life in Texas, her heart always remained in Guanajuato, returning often to visit her family and the place that first shaped her.
Leonor never worked outside the home, yet her labor was constant and sacred. A homemaker in the truest sense, she cooked, cleaned, nurtured, and quietly held together a family that grew across generations. Her home became a sanctuary for many—a place of warmth, safety, and belonging. Though she possessed little materially, she gave freely of what she had, opening her arms to those whom family or society had turned away. Leonor’s love did not require explanation, conditions, or permission; it was simply offered.
As a woman of quiet but steady Catholic faith, Leonor lived her religion not just through words, but through action. Her faith guided her devotion to family, her willingness to sacrifice, and her unwavering trust through hardship. Known for her strength and unapologetic beliefs, she stood firmly in her values; what some might have called stubbornness was, in truth, her integrity. Leonor carried a quiet strength throughout her life and took immense pride in her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, and matriarch. She was especially proud to be the mother of two United States veterans, her sons Martin and Maurice. After their safe return home from service, she took them on a pilgrimage to Mexico to give thanks to La Virgen de San Juan de los Lagos, offering toy soldiers in gratitude for the protection she had prayed for and received.
Leonor found joy in the simple, familiar rhythms of life: afternoons at the bingo hall, tending to her houseplants, daily phone calls with family from her landline, and browsing the clearance racks at Dillard’s. She enjoyed sharing meals at her favorite restaurants, including Furr’s Cafeteria and Cheddar’s, where she particularly loved the chicken tenders with honey mustard. She was overjoyed by simple gifts, especially candles, flowers, and money, and her family cherished her innocent and genuine excitement when receiving them. Her home carried the unmistakable scent of Pine-Sol, a smell forever tied to the feeling of being home. Leonor also dearly loved her pet birds, especially her parrot, Pepe, for whom she gladly made routine trips to Town East Mall just to buy specialty bird food. While her life was not marked by typical measures of success such as formal education, wealth, or career, it was rich in these humble rituals—the very moments that now color the memories of those who loved her most.
Leonor is survived by her sons, Martin Muñoz (Janie), Raymond Muñoz (Peggy), and Tommy Muñoz (Leticia); her daughters, Lupe Hernandez, Celia Alaniz, Elesia Valdivia (Rocky), Sara Setayesh, Linda Tavakoli, and Leonora Dean (Darrell); her brother, Felipe Reyes; her sisters, Lupe Reyes and Carmen Reyes; her brother-in-law, Efrén Muñoz; and sister-in-law, Maria Alonzo. She was a devoted grandmother to 34 grandchildren, 63 great-grandchildren, and 27 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ignacia and Tomás Reyes; her husband, Mauricio Muñoz; her sons, Mauricio Muñoz, Jr., and Johnny Muñoz; her daughter-in-law, Gracie Muñoz; her sons-in-law, Robert Alaniz, Tony Hernandez, and Mostafa Setayesh; and her beloved grandchildren, Raymond “Monche” Muñoz, Jr., Mary Almaraz, Marianne Pesina, and Rhonda Cisneros.
Leonor lived a life defined by love, resilience, and devotion to her family. Her legacy lives on in the generations she raised, the doors she kept open, and the steady faith that guided her life. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered, always.
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