Esperanza Ayala Sanchez entered into eternal rest Monday May 9, 2016. She was born in Monterrey, N.L. Mexico but lived her entire life in Laredo, TX. Mrs. Sanchez became a naturalized citizen of the United States in November of 1939. She attended elementary school at the fourth ward (now Macdonell Elementary) and graduated from Laredo High School (now Martin High School) in 1935. She then proceeded to get her Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Arts and Industries at Kingsville in 1938 and her Master of Arts in 1943. Believing in her parents’ motto that education is the best inheritance, Mrs. Sanchez taught 3rd grade at Macdonell Elementary in 1938, and continued to do so until her retirement 35 years later in 1973. During her career, she participated in a Teaching Under Glass program in 1966 where the class and all equipment and materials were stationed at Powell Motors on Washington Street. People could stop by and watch teaching in action while the dealership carried on its normal business. Mrs. Sanchez was also involved in the pilot phase of Instructional Television for the elementary schools of Laredo. Mrs. Sanchez was a member of multiple teacher and retired teacher associations. In 2004, Mrs. Sanchez was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame sponsored by the Laredo Commission for Women for her contributions to education. Mrs. Sanchez also contributed civically by helping register young men who were drafted during World War II and assisted school children and adults in practicing civil defense exercises. For her efforts she received multiple state and federal merit certificates. Although she had no children of her own, she graciously cared for and loved all her nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, great-grandnephews and great-grandnieces. Mrs. Sanchez was a deeply religious person and she enjoyed being a lector and singing at Holy Redeemer Church. She was godmother to many and instilled her strong beliefs into every family member. Ms. Sanchez is preceded in death by her husband Salvador Sanchez to whom she was married to for 51 years; by her parents, Juanita V. de Ayala Villarreal and Jacobo Ayala Villarreal; her brothers, Lics. Rodolfo and Jacobo Ayala, and her sisters, Dra. Maria Amparo Ayala, Aurora Salazar, Amalia Gonzalez Arroyo, and Jacobita Ayala and her nieces Esther Gonzalez Arroyo Buckley and Lupita S. Howard. She is survived by her niece Juanita (Joe) Benavides, her nephews Hector Gonzalez Arroyo Jr.(Rebecca+), Dr. Juan Jacobo Ayala, Lic. Jorge F. Ayala, and Lic. Edgardo Ayala and by multiple grandnieces and grandnephews, and great grandnieces and nephews Her family wishes to thank the ladies who were with her daily assisting with her care, Dr. Enrique Benavides for her medical care and St. Jude’s Home Health Care for their medical and hospice care. Visitation will be held Friday, May 13, 2016, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Nieto Funeral Home & Crematory where a rosary will be recited at 7:00 pm. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 14, 2016 from the funeral home to Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 am. Honoring her wishes, Mrs. Sanchez will be cremated. Funeral service arrangements are under the care of Nieto Funeral Home & Crematory, 802 Coke St. Laredo, TX 78040. Condolences can be expressed to the family online at www.nietofuneral.com.