Maria Del Carmen Church

Maria Del Carmen Helices Patino Church, age 56, of Big Sandy, passed away peacefully, on Monday, September 30, 2019 at her home, surrounded by her loving family and friends. Maria was born on September 17, 1963 in Rota, Spain to the late Cayetono Helices and Carmen Patino. She worked as a registered nurse for Christus-Good Shepherd Hospital in Longview for 25 years, most recently as the charge-nurse on A-600.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Richard Church in 2009; a brother, Juan M. Helices.

She is survived by her son, Victor Lucero and wife Yaniny of Madrid, Spain; daughters, Maria Del Carmen Lucero and husband Victor Pacheco of Rota, Spain, Chloe Helices Church of Big Sandy; brothers; Cayetono Helices and wife Nicky of Rota, Spain, Antonio Helices and wife Ma.Jose of Rota, Spain, Federico Helices of Rota, Spain; and four grandchildren, Leo and Dante Pacheco of Rota, Spain, Adriana and Carmen Lucero of Madrid, Spain.

Maria requested that her many family and friends be thanked for their unwavering support and acts of kindness during her seven-year battle mucosal melanoma. A special thank you to the doctors and staff at Texas Oncology, M.D. Anderson, and Heart to Heart Hospice, including Dr. Larry Fraser, Dr. Chip Hodges, Dr. Roger Kiser, Dr. Amy Hessell, and Dr. Ecaterina Dumbrava. A big thank you to her Christus-Good Shepherd Medical Center colleagues on A-600. To her “posse” of adoring friends who supported her in so many ways during her journey, she wanted to express her love and thankfulness. To know Maria was to love her; and her friends and family ask that you would each take a little piece of her vibrant and unassuming character with you in your daily lives. May her amazing spirit be carried on in all of us.

A come-and-go gathering of friends and family to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at the home of Jeannie Portman, 5075 Northcrest Chase, Longview, Texas 75605 from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM.