Maria Del Carmen Gutierrez, born to Fernanda Cruz and Pablo Gutierrez, on November 10, 1930 in San Antonio, Texas. As a child Carmen moved to Monterrey, Mexico. After a few years of living in Mexico she met and married her husband, Juan Alfredo Mendez and together they had five children. Years after his untimely death, Carmen decided to go back home to San Antonio, Texas and look for work to support her children. While working at the local dry cleaner she met and fell in love with Avelino Jose Lujan. They were married and had three children together but sadly her youngest child, Perlita Lujan, lived for only 24 hours. After 30 years of marriage, she became a widow for the second time in her life. Armed with a fighting personality, Carmen became part of an organization dedicated to the social injustice committed against the women of Latin America. She voiced her concerns and anger through her works of art that she proudly displayed with the organization named "Mujeres Artes". She loved to express herself through her art, but she loved her family more than life itself.
Carmen Lujan went home to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday morning, January 17, 2020. She is reunited in Heaven with her daughters Perlita Lujan and Blanca Estella Garza. Carmen is survived by her 6 remaining children, Juan Manuel Mendez, Eddie Mendez(Janet), Gustavo Mendez(Mary Alice), Margaret Headen (Donald), Juanita Lujan (Leticia Hernandez), Avelino Jose Lujan III (Anna); 16 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 6 great great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at Castillo Mission Funeral Home on Thursday, January 30, 2020 from 4pm until 9pm with a Rosary to begin at 7pm.
Family and friends will meet at St. Leo's Catholic Church, 4415 S. Flores St. 78214 on Friday, January 31, 2020 for a 10am Mass. Services to conclude Friday.