Irene Cantu

It is with a heavy heart and a profound gratitude for a life well-lived that we announce the peaceful passing of Irene Cantu on June 24, 2025. Irene was a woman devoted to her Catholic faith, her family, and her friends.

Irene was born on September 20, 1945 in Lubbock, Texas, the place she would call home her entire life. She was born to Manuel and Elena Ramos. She married Johnny M.Cantu on January 8, 1962, until his passing on May 8, 1995. Together, Irene and Johnny built a beautiful life and raised two daughters and one son - - Lisa, Sylvia, and Juan Cantu. They created a home filled with love, laughter, singing, and telling jokes.

One of Ireneś favorite hobbies was talking. Irene loved to socialize with everyone. She never met a stranger. Irene also enjoyed watching television, completing word searches, drawing, and watering the lawn. She worked in various jobs during her life. She worked at a few cleaners before finding where she would remain until retirement from Lubbock ISD. She worked as a teaching assistant with pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. Then, she became the boss of the workroom at a local elementary school until she retired in 2010. She was well-liked and loved by many. Her life was a testament of faith, love, and hard work. Her warmth, wisdom, humor, laugh, and love will be missed by everyone who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents (Manuel and Elena), husband (Johnny), daughter (Sylvia), sisters (Edna Cortez and Elena Montalvo), and brother (Hector Ramos). Those left to celebrate her life here on Earth are children Juan and Lisa Cantu, Frank Lozoya, siblings John (Linda) Ramos, Marie (Joe) Gonzales, Yolanda (Richard) Esparza, Mike (Mary) Ramos, and Olivia (Fabian) Garcia, and many, many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff, especially her nurse, Audi Mata, at Bridge Hospice for the care they showed Irene the last few months of her life.

Visitation with the family will be Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. at Combest Funeral Home at the Venue. Then, there will be a rosary at 7:00 p.m. To celebrate Ireneś remarkable life, a mass will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church followed by burial at Peaceful Gardens.