Carolina Mercado

Carol Mercado, 76, of Hewitt, passed away Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at Providence Health Center.

Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Monday, November 3 at St. Jerome Catholic Church with Father Rakshaganathan Selvaraj as celebrant. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. The rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Sunday, November 2 at the OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd., by Deacon Greg George.

Carol was born June 22, 1932 in Manhattan to Cesar Fuentes and Aida Santiago. She was raised in almost all the burrows of New York. While in New York, she was a candy striper for a local hospital, helped raise her younger sister and received a certificate from the Kelly Girl to become a secretary. She also loved fine art. She enjoyed visiting friends in South Carolina where she met her husband, Juan Mercado. They had a whirlwind courtship and were married April 21, 1956 in Columbia, S.C.

She was an outstanding Army wife who brought honor and dignity to the military. She was gracious and compassionate. She helped her husband to accomplish his duties successfully. She also helped her husband when he was improving his education after retirement from the military. She was truly his cheerleader as he earned both his M.A. and Doctorate. Her strongest characteristic was her caring love for her husband, her children and her friends. She was a faithful Christian and believed deeply in the values of her church.

As an Army wife, she and her family traveled as they were reassigned many times. While in Georgia, they became proud parents to their twin daughters born in 1957. Soon, they moved to Germany and then were reassigned to Ft. Hood where they became proud parents to a third daughter in 1965. Eventually, they were reassigned to Paraguay where her husband became the first Defense Attaché.

Throughout the years, she was the best Mom to her daughters helping them achieve their degrees and solving their problems.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Carol is survived by her loving husband, Dr. Juan A. Mercado of Hewitt; twin daughters, Esther and Violeta Mercado, both of Hewitt; daughter, Connie Mercado of Hewitt; sister, Amneris Drago and husband, Angelo of Shirley Long Island, NY; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Knights of Columbus Charity at St. Jerome Catholic Church or to the Eucharistic Program at Providence Health Center.