Lupe (Sanchez) Muñoz, 83 of Gering, Nebraska passed away Good Friday morning, March 29, 2024 in the comfort of her home and with her beloved family, after a courageous four-year struggle with colon cancer.
Visitation will be Thursday, April 4, 2024 from 4-7 pm at Gering Memorial Chapel. A rosary will be recited at 10:00 a.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church in Gering on Friday, April 5, 2024. The funeral Mass will be held immediately after the rosary with Father Mike McDonald officiating. Internment of cremation ashes will occur privately at a later date. Memorial donations to the Latina Red Dress organization may be forwarded to Mary Ann Shockley, 2801 West 35th St., Scottsbluff, NE, 308-672-4517. Fond memories and condolences may be shared at www.geringchapel.com.
Lupe was the daughter of Antonio Sanchez, Sr. and Jesusa (Marciel) Reyes. She was born on January 17, 1941 in Menchaca, Texas. She moved to the Nebraska Panhandle with her family in the mid-1950s where they worked as migrant sugar beet laborers, and eventually settled in Gering, NE.
Lupe married Frank Muñoz in January of 1958 and to this union one son and five daughters were born, and they raised a nephew as a son as well.
Lupe worked for Safeway as a checker from 1994 until retiring in 2020. Before that she worked at National Drinks, Inc. for approximately 20 years.
While she enjoyed watching the Huskers with her family, Lupe liked old westerns and telenovelas even more. In addition to exceptional cooking and sewing proficiencies, Lupe was widely known for her handywoman DIY skills, often re-purposing materials and artifacts found at local garage sales throughout the valley. But nothing took precedent over spending quality time with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lupe leaves behind her son Ed Muñoz (Gayla Penner, Englewood, CO) of Salt Lake City, UT; daughters Kathy (Boulder) Ramirez of Scottsbluff, Cindy Gonzalez of Scottsbluff, Ronnie Muñoz of Longmont, CO, Trish (Rich) Castillo of Scottsbluff and Irene Muñoz of Gering; grandsons: Valentiń Muñoz, Kris Hernandez, Rico and Cruz Castillo, and Joseph, Anthony, and Carlo Ramirez; granddaughters: Miranda Cervantes, Carissa Torrez, Julisa and Mirely Muñoz, Christeen Paramo and 20 great grandchildren; sister Mary Jane Aguilar of Littlefield, TX; brothers; Joe Sanchez of Chicago, IL and Manuel Sanchez of Las Cruces, NM; sisters-in-law Amparo (Joe) Gomez and Mary Hinojosa of Gering and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, son Gilbert Sanchez, brothers Andrew, Tony, Cruz and Frank Sanchez, and Paul Marciel; sisters Manuela Aguilar and Mercedes Sanchez; several nephews and nieces.
Thank you to all of Lupe’s primary caregivers during the last years of her life. The family would also like to thank the staff at Regional West Medical Center Oncology Division and Brookstone Hospice for their excellent attention during the past years.