Mary "Chita" Aguilar, 82 of Plainview, passed away on August 31, 2025. A visitation will be held from 4:00pm until 8:00pm, with a Holy Rosary being recited at 6:00pm, on Monday, September 8, 2025, at Lemons Memorial Chapel. A funeral service will be held at 10:30am, Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at Lemons Memorial Chapel. Burial will follow in Plainview Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Lemons Funeral Home in Plainview.

Chita was born on August 25, 1943, in Mathis, Texas to Eulojio and Maria Tijerina. Chita was one of fifteen children. She married Julio Aguilar in 1982 before his passing in 1986.

Chita found a joy in waitressing at Old Mexico restaurant; she cherished the opportunity to meet new people and brighten their days with her welcoming spirit. She then worked at Excel until its closing.

Known for her exceptional cooking, Chita's meals were the heart of countless family gatherings. Her talent in the kitchen was matched by her love of sewing, solving word search puzzles, and watching her favorite novelas. She was a woman of quiet strength, admired for her independence and tireless work ethic.

Chita had a tender heart for those in need, always ready to lend a hand to the "underdog." Her compassion and generosity touched many lives; but more than anything she adored her grandchildren, who were the light of her life and the source of her greatest joy.

Her memory will live on in the stories shared around the dinner table, in the stitches of all her sewing projects and in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know her.

Chita is survived by her daughter, Susan Valenzuela; her grandchildren, Julie Hernandez, Enrique Hernandez Jr., Rebekkah Valenzuela, Angel Valenzuela, Erin Jacob Hernandez, Cynthia Amaya, Eonn Hernandez, and Samantha Amaya; seventeen great grandchildren; four brothers, Paul Tijerina, Ernest Tijerina (Theresa), Santiago Tijerina, and Raymond Tijerina (Sarah); four sisters, Maria Garcia (Charlie), Amelia Rodriquez, Gloria Woicke (Herbert), and Evangelina Martinez (Ricky).

Chita is preceded in death by her husband Julio Aguilar; her parents, Eulojio and Maria Tijerina; her son, John E. Valenzuela III; her two daughters, Veronica M. Valenzuela, and Julia Maria Aguilar; one brother, Eulojio Tijerina Jr.; and five sisters, Lupe Flores, Loisa Marquez, Alice Moreno, Francisca Tijerina and Trina Smith.