Maria Silva Ayala passed away peacefully at the age of 101 on August 9, 2024 at her residence in Greenville, Texas. She was surrounded by her children in her final moments with love and prayers.
Maria was born on September 8, 1922 to Emeterio and Guadalupe Silva. She was the eldest of 5 children and grew up in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico.
Maria moved to Ft. Worth with her two sons, Alfonso and Raul, in the late 1940s. She married Antonio Ayala, father of 5 children; Lupe, Tony Jr., Mary Helen, Gloria, and Carlos (deceased). Together they had 4 children; George, Daniel, Mario, and Angelica. Maria (affectionately known as Wela) was a devoted homemaker, loving wife, caring and loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend.
Wela’s hobbies included gardening, ceramics, crocheting, walking, and traveling the world. She enjoyed singing, dancing, playing cards and dominoes, watching the Dallas Cowboys, and cartoons (especially Trolls) with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a great cook who taught generations how to recreate her recipes.
She is survived by her children: Alfonso Avila, Raul Avila and his wife Laura, George Ayala and his wife Nancy, Daniel Ayala and his wife Carmen, Mario Ayala, Angelica Davis and her husband Ted. Maria leaves behind a legacy through her 16 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband Antonio Ayala, parents Emeterio and Guadalupe Silva, brothers Jose, Robert, and Jesse, and her great-granddaughter Cassandra Contreras.
The family extends a special thanks to Father Marcus Chidozie, the staff at Harrison House, Hospice Plus (caregivers Joannie and Patricia), and the Greenville community for all of their love and support.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in our mother’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
