Celia (nee Martinez) Galvan, 89, of Austin died peacefully at home on Monday, October 24, 2022, with the support of Enhabit Hospice.

She valued family, education, and hard work.

Even though she lived in Austin for more than 60 years, she always considered herself "a country girl from Rotan, TX." She was born in August 1933, in Kent County, TX to Manuel and Julia (nee Macias) Martinez from Rotan, TX, and Durango, Mexico, respectively.

In 1957 as a young woman, she moved to Austin with a younger brother following an older brother. She found employment as a dental assistant with Dr. Oliver Strom despite only an eighth-grade education. Her mother had told her she did not need an education to raise children.

She married the love of her life Eustacio (E.A.) Galvan in 1962, only after he finished his studies at the University of Texas School of Law, Austin. In quick succession they had four children (a daughter and three sons) followed seven years later by a fourth son.

She raised her children before beginning to work outside the home when the oldest was 16. She was a dedicated, hardworking employee of the Austin Independent School District, serving as a bus monitor, teacher assistant, and substitute teacher assistant for over 20 years before retiring. She worked in Elementary Special Education and Bilingual Education. Working with bilingual students (essentially those with few English skills) was very important to her since she personally experienced the struggle of entering school in the United States as a 10-year-old who only spoke Spanish when her family returned to Texas from Mexico.

The impact of her experience is why she valued and loved working with bilingual students. She wanted to help them succeed in school so they could succeed in life.

As her own children entered high school, she determinedly returned to school first to work on and receive her GED certificate, and later to take college courses at Austin Community College, eventually earning 24 hours of college credit.

As a mother, she prayed that she would live long enough to see all her children graduate from high school and from college. She met this goal when her children graduated from David Crockett High School and subsequently earned undergraduate degrees from UT Austin, Southwest Texas State University, Princeton University, and graduate degrees from UT Law, and St. Mary's University, San Antonio. Her recent goal was to see her grandchildren graduate from high school and college.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 38 years. She is also preceded in death by her son, Emilio, and her brother, John.

She is survived by her children Celina, Edmundo (Brandi), and Eugenio of Austin, and Eduardo of Ann Arbor, MI. She is survived by her grandchildren, the joys of her life Andres, Adelina, Amarissa, Alonzo, and Amaya. Also surviving are her brothers Gilbert (Louise) Martinez, Ramiro (VerNell) Martinez, and Charles (Diane) Velleca, and her only sister Mary Hamm; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, and the siblings (and spouses) of her late husband.

Visitation will be held at Harrell Funeral Home (4435 Frontier Trail, Austin, TX 78745), Thursday, October 27, 2022, from 4 to 8 pm.

Rev. Charles Kullman will celebrate the Funeral Mass at St. Austin Catholic Church (2026 Guadalupe St, Austin) on Friday, October 28, 2022, at 2 pm. Parking is available in the parish parking garage at the corner of San Antonio St. and W. MLK Jr. Blvd. Parking is free for visitors with a validated parking ticket available in the Church or ministry center lobby.

If you are unable to attend in person, please join the live-streamed Mass at https://staustin.org/mass

The family thanks each of the healthcare professionals who cared for their mother during the last eight months of her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made in Celia's name to Central Texas Food Bank (6500 Metropolis Drive, Austin, TX 78744) or online at www.centraltexasfoodbank.org