HARLINGEN, TX. - Betty Jean Padilla Magaro

 Was born on the 14th of January 1956 and presented to her Lord, Jesus Christ on the 14th of November 2008.

Betty was the third child of Alvin G. Padilla, Jr. and Maria Guadalupe (Lupe) Aguilar Padilla. Her family and friends take comfort knowing Betty is resting comfortably in heaven after an eight year battle with dermatomyositis. Betty courageously fought her disease and desperately wanted to survive to be with her two sons.

She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas graduating from Winston Churchill High School in 1974. During her high school years, Betty was the 1973 a court Princess of the International Black and White Ball, an organization she participated in for numerous years. Betty went on to study fashion design at North Texas State University, but another interest caught her attention and she graduated from Pan American University in 1981, with a degree in Advertising and Marketing. In 1977, her family moved from San Antonio to Harlingen, Texas to become a Franchisee of McDonald's. She held numerous positions in the organization, with the pinnacle of her career being the Director of Marketing for 17 restaurants. In 1995, she opened a small gift boutique "Magaro's" which she owned and operated in Harlingen for two years and continued her business by catalog until 2000.

Betty married her dream, Jude Joseph Magaro on the 29th of December 1984 at the Marine Military Academy Chapel in Harlingen, Texas.

Betty and her husband Jude, have two wonderful sons, Jude Joseph Magaro, Jr. and Noah Thaddeus Alvin Salvatore Magaro. The boys were the light of Betty's life. Her other passions included performing with the Gloria Canales Mexican Folkloric Dancers, doll collecting, cooking and organizing McDonald's community events, i.e. Thanksgiving dinner celebrations for ten years throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Betty was a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts of America and a founding Board member of the Ronald McDonald House in Harlingen, Texas, which serves children throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Her family and friends will remember Betty for her beautiful, lively and fun personality. She embraced life with both arms and saw the best in everything and everyone.

Waiting for Betty at St. Peter's gate will be her husband Jude, her parents Alvin and Lupe, her paternal grandparents Alvin G. Padilla and Mary Flores Padilla, her maternal grandparents Jesus Aguilar and Helen Santiago and her father-in-law Salvatore (Sam) Magaro.

Betty is survived by her sons, Jude and Noah, sisters Rose M. Padilla and Dorothy F. Hinojosa (Eliel), brothers Carl A. and Alvin G. Padilla, III, nephews Eliel Hinojosa, Jr. (Cecilia), niece Nicole H. Hinojosa, paternal aunt Vera Cole and paternal uncle Robert F. Padilla. She is also survived by her mother-in-law Joyce Fritz Magaro, brother-in-law Jeremiah Magaro (Sherry), nephew Zachary Magaro, sister-in-law Lisa Edwards (Michael), nephew Dylan DeRees (Lisa), niece Molly DeRees and grand nieces Vera DeRees. Her very dear friends Cathy Garcia and Diana Martinez Rivera also survive her.

Pallbearers will be James R. Ash, Richard G. Ash, Louis Garcia, Richard Hernandez, Anthony Martinez, Steve (Butch) Sanchez and Nelson Sigoloff. Honorary pallbearers are Hector Rodriguez, Dan Garcia and Robert Padilla.

Visitation and memoriam will be held in Harlingen at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, 710 Ed Carey Dr. on Monday, 17 November 2008 from noon to 9 p.m. with the family present to receive friends from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Services in San Antonio are pending and will be announced at later date.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to find a cure for her disease to John Hopkins University, John Hopkins Myositis Center, Attn: Shannon Bishop, 5200 Eastern Ave, Mason F. Lord Bldg Center Tower, Suite 4100 Baltimore, MD 21224.

You are invited to sign the guestbook or leave a condolence at www.buck-ashcraft.com.
Arrangements are with Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.
Sign the guestbook at: http://legacy.com/ValleyStar/Obituaries.asp.