Maria Ysela Sanchez

Ysela Sanchez, 87, passed away on Friday, August 8, 2025

Ysela was born March 28, 1938 in El Paso, TX to parents Carolina and Fred Terrazas. She had a brother Arnulfo and a sister Ercilia. She graduated from El Paso High School in 1957 and was a member of the marching band playing clarinet for 3 years, and becoming a majorette her senior year. She then left to Nursing School in St. Paul Minnesota, graduating in 1960 with her diploma degree in Nursing. Ysela returned to El Paso and married the love of her life Ray on May 20, 1961. They welcomed their first child, a son, Ramon, in May of 1962. 364 days later their first daughter was born, Laura. Four years later Marcela joined her siblings, with Monica coming sixteen months afterwards. She was a tremendous homemaker and her children and grandchildren were her pride and joy.

Ysela started her nursing career at a hospital in Lawton, Oklahoma. After moving back to El Paso, she went to work at Hotel Dieu Hospital. She went on to work for several physicians in El Paso, eventually making her way to becoming a school nurse at various Catholic Schools. She and her husband Ray managed her parents’ restaurant, Leo’s on Yandell, for several years. As a young girl, she started playing piano by ear, took lessons for several years and continued playing for the rest of her life. She bowled in leagues for many, many years, starting at the Red Rooster and Thunderbird Lanes. She was also the secretary of the bowling leagues for numerous years, manually typing out the league sheets on her typewriter!

Ysela is preceded in death by her parents Carolina and Fred Terrazas, brother Arnulfo Terrazas, and her son Ramon Sanchez. She leaves behind her beloved husband of 64 years Ray, affectionately known as her “Dropout”; daughters Laura Rodriguez (Pete), Marcela Navarrete (John), and Monica Rodriguez (Sam); seven grandchildren, Rico (Ramon Federico) Sanchez, Victor Armand Rodriguez, Emerson Anthony Rodriguez, Bianca Carolina Navarrete, Alexander Ray Rodriguez, Cory Navarrete and John-Erik Navarrete; and her sister Ercilia Ezquerra. She is also survived by many extended friends and family to cherish and honor her memory.

A rosary will be held for Ysela on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 9025 Diana, with a funeral mass to follow at 1:00 p.m. Following the mass, there will be time for family and friends to gather.