Edith E. Meador

Edith Estrello Meador’s Eulogy:Philosopher Seneca once said, “As in a tale: it is not how long it is, but how good it is”In Edith Estrello Meador’ s case, not only did she have a long life, but she also had a good life.Edith Cruz Estrello was born to Mauro and Fidencia Estrello on September 14, 1928.  She was born in Ganado, Texas. She was the first born of eleven children, Marcus, Joe, Esther, Alice, Robert, Rosie, Raquel, Mary Helen, Henry, and Irene. She was preceded in death by her parents Fidencia Estrello and Mauro Estrello, and by siblings Joe Estrello, Esther Rank, Raquel Rodriquez, Irene Adamson, and Marcus Estrello.Edith became an important part of the family nucleus by helping her parents with the children and chores around the house, and she did it all without hesitation.  As the family got older, Edith’s involvement was more evident, and her role was that of a second mother to her younger siblings. This was true all the way to the end of her life.Edith was one of the first persons in Ganado to buy a color television for the household and one of the first persons to buy a leather-bound World Book Encyclopedia for her family, this shows how important it was to her that her siblings had the tools necessary for a good education.  (All eleven siblings got at least a high school education).  Edith had a high school education (she had to drop out of school to help her family because the family was so large, but later went back to finish school).One of Edith’s first jobs was at Lefty’s Grocery Store in Ganado, Texas.  While there, she cashiered, helped customers, and became a valuable employee at the store.  As time passed, Grover C. Meador’s, “Lefty” and Edith’s friendship turned into love, they married in San Marcos, Texas in 1953 and were inseparable until his passing on March 25, 1985.Edith and Lefty had no children born of their marriage, but she did claim to have honorary children whom she would welcome into their home and could stay with them as long as they needed to, a tradition she continued throughout their lives.Edith became interested in sales and attended many seminars to fine-tune her well-known sales techniques, whom she would later pass on to her brother Henry.  Edith would say, “Edith is my name; selling is my game!”  She worked for Lester’s Jewelry, Jewel Box, and Zales, where she could sell anything from a diamond ring to a costly piece of jewelry to the unsuspecting customers, who  would later come back to let her know that she had been a very important part of their lives and would become her repeat customers for years and years.  That would please Edith very much as her aim in life was to make someone’s day!The last couple of years of her life were spent at The Plaza at Lubbock Nursing Home, where she met many people and residents who later became her friends.  She had just recently celebrated her 91^st birthday with a Mariachi band which played some of her favorite songs, it was enjoyed by residents, staff, and friends.  Everyone had a fabulous time!  Later in the day, Edith said that it was the perfect way to remember her, that if she were to die that evening, no tears were to be shed, she just wanted everyone to remember the day when everyone, danced, sang and got together in her honor.