Juanita DeLaRosa Moreno

Juanita DeLaRosa Moreno, 82, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by loved ones on January 5, 2025.

Visitation and rosary services will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, with the rosary beginning at 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 10, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, officiated by Deacon Tony Arocha. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery.

Juanita was born in Runge, TX, on August 21, 1942. She attended school in Runge, TX, and married Jose O. Moreno in 1978. She worked at Mid-Plains Rural Telephone and also worked cleaning homes. She moved from Tulia, TX, to Waco, TX, 33 years ago.

Juanita was a devoted fan of the Dallas Cowboys and Baylor Bears. She enjoyed quilting, gardening, traveling, dancing, and reading, especially Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books. Despite having little formal education, she was an excellent reader and had a remarkable talent for math. She loved family gatherings and taught her family the importance of leaning on each other, loving one another, and believing that where there’s a will, there’s a way.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel and Manuela DeLaRosa; her brother, Guadalupe “Wally” DeLaRosa; her husband, Jose O. Moreno; her son, David Alfaro Sr.; and her granddaughters, Roxanne Castaneda and Laura Muniz.

She is survived by her sons, Rickey Casarez Sr. of Temple, Texas; Trinidad Muniz of Colorado; and Ramiro Alfaro and wife, Lucero, of Mart, Texas. Her daughters include Ana Hernandez, Bertha Castaneda, and Evangelina Gonzales, along with her spouse, Eloisa, all of Waco, Texas; and Lupe Weiser and husband, Nathan, of Tulia, Texas. She also raised two granddaughters as her own, Juanita Favela and Raquel Santiago, along with her husband, Ricardo, of Waco, Texas.

She leaves behind 20 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

Paul bearers include Rickey Casarez Jr., Larry Muniz, Mark Castaneda Luciano Castaneda, Demi Grubb, Shawn Grubb, Romulo Rivera, and Anthony Rivera. 

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to Juanita’s nurse, Shelly, and the staff of Providence Hospice for their thoughtful and compassionate care. Special thanks to our dear family friend, Victoria, for her continuous prayers, unwavering support, and comforting presence. We are also deeply thankful to Micheal DeLeon and Ericka Herrera for generously sharing their hair and makeup talents to help make our mother beautiful.

We invite you to leave a message or memory of Juanita in her “Memorial Guestbook” at www.WHBfamily.com.