Consuelo Robledo

EDINBURG - Consuelo Alfaro Robledo, loving wife, mother, community activist, and Catholic leader, departed this earth to meet our Lord on February 2nd 2025. She was born in 1934 in Edinburg, Texas, to Atanacio and Evarista Alfaro. She married Jose Nieto Robledo in 1955 and together they raised 13 children, 31 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Consuelo was married to Jose for 66 years and was a full time home maker. She worked hard to create a loving home with strong family values, encouraging all of her children to excel in their education and achieve their dreams while also maintaining their faith in God.

Consuelo hosted annual celebrations that kept her family returning home each year from across the state. She made special efforts to establish family traditions such as birthday celebrations, decorating cascarones with her grandchildren, Thanksgiving gatherings, tamaladas, Advent candle lighting ceremonies, posadas and Christmas caroling. Although her role as a wife and mother would have been enough to keep anyone busy, she answered the call from God to do more and worked hard for the betterment of the community, Catholic Church, Rio Grande Valley and the State of Texas. All of Consuelo’s children were educated through the Edinburg Consolidated School District, where she often volunteered and served as PTA President for many years. In addition, she was passionate about registering her community to vote and be active in the election process, and she frequently worked as an election judge. Since the establishment of Holy Family Church of Edinburg, Texas in 1967, Consuelo was a member and active congregant, visiting the sick weekly, leading a prayer group, and managing the St Vincent De Paul food pantry. She also served as a Eucharistic minister, scripture reader, and catechist teacher. Consuelo and her husband, Jose, were members of the Cursillistas, which is a church movement established to create a Christian environment through “teaching by example”. Along with Joe, she was also a member of Marriage Encounter, sponsoring soon-to-be married couples for over thirty years, and the Movimiento Familiar Cristiano, which provided Christian-based guidance to families. Additionally, Consuelo was one of the first members of the Holy Family Guadalupanas service group and was recognized for 60 years of service and lifelong dedication.

Through Holy Family Church, Consuelo was involved with the organization, Valley Interfaith, since its creation by Bishop John J. Fitzpatrick in 1982. Each legislative year, she worked to get the vote out by running phone banks and door-to-door canvassing to register and inform voters about ballet propositions. Consuelo was committed to traveling to Austin to meet with members of the Texas legislature to educate them on the issues affecting the families of the Rio Grande Valley. Leaving early in the morning by bus with other Valley Interfaith members and returning late in the day, Consuelo worked diligently to bring more financial resources to the Valley for infrastructure, education, health care, immigration and livable wages. This was accomplished by helping to organize meetings between local and state political leaders and rally support for these causes. Consuelo was recognized by the Diocese of Brownsville and the City of Edinburg for her involvement in working towards improving the quality of life for all residents. In 1983, she was voted “Mother of the Year” by the Edinburg Economic Council. Consuelo and her husband, Jose, were awarded Public Citizens of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers LRGV Branch in 2013, and also received a proclamation by the City of Edinburg recognizing their lifetime achievements in 2015. To honor their service to the public, the City of Edinburg renamed the “Tule” Center to include their names in 2023.

Consuelo was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Jose Nieto Robledo, a grandson Fernando Robledo, son David Robledo; and five siblings, Olga Alfaro, Ireneo Alfaro, Josephina Garza, Epifania Garcia, and Rachel Monroy. She is survived by her twelve children, Joe Angel Robledo, Alma Rosa Robledo, Lucia Smith (Roy), Irene Robledo (Gloria), Annabelle Dillard (Randy), Paula Alaniz (Abel), Moises Robledo (Martha), Dahlia Robledo, Michelle Anguiano (Stephen), Gabriel Robledo (Janine), Eva Marie Coleman (Chris), Sarah Robledo Ybarra (Fernando); 30 grandchildren, Denise, Candace, David Angelo, Tesslyn, McKenzie, Brian, Michelle, Roy, Stephen, Jennifer, Ashley, Jacob, Laura, Katie, Alex, Marcelino, Jose Nieto, Mia Carina, Sophia, Lazaro, Austin, Alaina, Vegas, Ayla, Kyrie, Dillon, Caeli, Michael, Brandon, Emily; 8 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Ruben Alfaro (Angelica).

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. rosary Tuesday, February 4th 2025, at the Legacy Chapels, 4610 South Jackson Road, in Edinburg. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, February 5th 2025, at Holy Family Church, 1302 E. Champion, in Edinburg, Texas. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Edinburg.

Funeral services are under the direction of Legacy Chapels in Edinburg.