Maria De Jesús Salazar

Maria De Jesús Salazar, age 90, of Ozark, Arkansas, passed away from this life and into God's beautiful rest, Tuesday, January 3, 2023, in Bentonville, Arkansas, surrounded by her loving family. She was born December 20, 1932 in Cuatro Ciengas, Coahuila, Mexico to Maria Luisa Valerio and Cruz Polano Valerio. As a young lady, Maria migrated to the United States with her husband Juan R. Salazar in pursuit of a better life for their family and the "American Dream". Following various work opportunities across the United States, they found the place they would forever call "Home" and settled in Ozark, Arkansas in May of 1959 and fulfilled their dream of becoming U.S. citizens on August 28, 1968. Maria worked on various farms and ranches with her husband, worked at Garan Manufacturing in Ozark, and worked for Tyson Foods in Clarksville, Arkansas from which she retired. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Altus, Arkansas, a proud Christian, and American. Maria had several of her children, grandchildren, and extended families serve at home and overseas for their country in the United States Army, Navy, Airforce, and Marines. She loved her husband, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and friends whole-heartedly. She wasted no opportunity to spend time with them and celebrated life with every chance she had by cooking for them, visiting, laughing, singing, and dancing with them. Maria was a master chef in her kitchen and her food was famously loved by all her family and friends. She was a superior seamstress, a quilter, and would create beautiful clothing, quilts, and other sewn items for her family and friends. She loved spending time in her flower beds and was known to be a green thumb, being able to make anything grow and flourish. Her passion and talent were made evident by the beautiful blooms of roses, four-o-clocks, gladiolas, and various other flowers and plants in her gardens. Maria is preceded in death by her parents, Luisa and Cruz Valerio; her loving husband, Juan Rivera Salazar; brother-in-law, Jesus Salazar; three sisters, Socorro Rodriguez, Ramona Valerio, and Maria Inocencia Santos; son-in-law, David R. Norris; two grandsons, David R. Norris II and Preston Riley; and great grandson, Brennan James Tull. Maria is survived by her sister, Maria Luisa Mojica of San Antonio, Texas; brother, Jesus Valerio of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; sister-in-law, Christina Salazar of Altus; brother-in-law, Thomas Salazar and wife Juanita of Van Buren, Arkansas; four daughters, Maggie Higgins and husband Avery of Ozark, Lety Salazar of Ozark, Maria "Pita" Jones of Bella Vista, Arkansas, and Juanita Horne and husband Vernon of Ozark; four sons, Charlie Salazar and wife Rocio of Ozark, Jose Salazar and wife Patty of Ozark, Ricky Salazar and wife Vicky of Mulberry, Arkansas, and Mickey Salazar and wife Laura of Ozark; 42 grandchildren, Daniel Tull, Jessica Brown, Nicholas Norris, Trenta Norris, Elijah Salazar, Evan Salazar, Raphael Salazar, Mandy Salazar, Lynda Ward, Rikki Tryba, Ethan Morton, Zack Case, Xavier Salazar, Savanna Davis, Olivia Salazar, Andrea Noetzol, Rachel Murphy, Matthew Sword, Chris Salazar, Tristan Salazar, Asha Brantley, Chance Savell, Chelsea Riley, Ashley Russell, Anissa Horne, Joel David Horne, Stephanie Sampley, Alisha Thompson, and Kaylie Gallegos; 41 great grandchildren, nine great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, a host of in laws, great friends, and church family Rosary service will be 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Thursday, January 5, 2023, at St. Mary's Catholic Church 5118 St. Mary's Lane in Altus. Funeral service will be 10:00 A.M. Friday, January 6, 2023, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, with Father Reginald Udouj officiating, with burial at St. Mary's Cemetery, under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home. Serving as pallbearers will be Daniel Tull, Nicholas Norris, Raphael Salazar, Chance Savell, Xavier Salazar, Elijah Salazar, Tristan Salazar, and Joel David Horne.