Juanita Gallardo Sisto, 86, died peacefully, surrounded by her family in her Woodburn home on October 13, 2014.

Juanita was the eldest of three children born to Gregorio Gallardo and Consuelo Gaytan on May 28, 1928 in Nixon, Texas. Her mother died when Juanita was a young child. She spent much of her childhood in the care of her paternal grandmother, Eulogia Senteno Gallardo and paternal aunt, Antonia Gallardo Gaytan.

Juanita married Juan Sisto, Jr. of Yorktown, Texas on her birthday in 1952. The couple spent the first five years of marriage in Nixon, Texas where they worked together at a processing plant. Juanita persuaded Juan to pursue the promise of a better life for their young family so the couple began work harvesting crops. They followed the crops from Texas to Oregon and back each year. In 1962, the family settled in Oregon where other relatives lived. They lived in various parts of the Willamette Valley before making their home in St. Paul, Oregon in 1967. Juanita worked in agriculture most of her life.

Juanita was a dedicated wife and mother. Through example, Juanita taught her five children the importance of family, the value of working hard, and of living a Christ centered life.

Juanita enjoyed sharing beauty with those she loved. She learned to crochet at a young age from her grandmother and used her talent to make doilies and decorate the edges of embroidered pillowcases. Juanita was a skilled seamstress, making clothing for all her children. She also made many lovely quilts including a double wedding ring quilt in honor of each child's marriage. She made baby quilts for many of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Juanita was an avid gardener. Growing beautiful roses and other flowers gave her great pleasure. She grew many vegetables and spent time each summer preserving the abundance for her family to enjoy in the winter. Juanita was always a gracious hostess, never allowing guests to leave her home without first being served a meal or snack. She was a great cook. Everyone looked forward to her tamales on Christmas Eve.

Juanita is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Juan; her brother Gabriel Gallardo; and her great grandson, Billy Alonso Garcia. Juanita is survived by her brother, Jesus Gallardo of Corpus Christi, Texas; her children and their spouses, Ruben and Ruth Sisto, Irma and Juan Garcia, Mario and Teresa Sisto, Javier and JoAnn Sisto and Mary and Gonzalo Torres; 16 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; and extended family members including nieces and nephews in Oregon and Texas.

Recitation of the rosary will take place at Cornwell Funeral Chapel in Woodburn on Friday, October 17 at 7:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Luke Catholic Church in Woodburn on Saturday, October 18 at 10:30 AM. A reception will follow at Rubis Hall. Internment is at St. Paul Cemetery following the reception. Remembrances may be made to the American Red Cross Blood Bank at www.redcross.org .