MARIA MARGARITA NEIRA VALDIVIESO LASSITER PAYNE
1920-2021
Our beloved Maria, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, and greatgreat-grandmother lived 101 years of brilliant life and died peacefully on September 3, 2021 knowing that all who knew her, loved her. She was born on February 26, 1920 in Puerto Bolivar, El Oro, Ecuador to Luis Ufredo Neira Garcia and Isabel Lastenia Neira Valdivieso. Born and raised amid the wars between Ecuador and Peru she met her husband-to-be in 1942 as a refugee returning home from Ambato, Ecuador. She married John T. Lassiter, Sr., a U.S. State Department Economic Foreign Service Officer in 1944 beginning a life of grand global adventure. Each of her four sons was born in a different country, Iran, Japan, Peru and the United States, where they eventually settled in Houston, Texas. Her legacy will guide our family in all the generations that follow her. Her wisdom and grace, resilience and tenacity, sense of adventure and infectious laughter will endure in the lives of her family and friends for all time. Maria was preceded in death by the love of her life and husband, John T. Lassiter, Sr., her parents, her brothers, Luis, Jorge and Jacinto, and her sisters, Luisa and Isabel. She is survived by her sister Elvira Neira Valdivieso; her sons, Stephen, Stanley, William (Cathy) and Michael; grandchildren, Jennifer (Darren) Smith, Michael (Jackie) Lassiter, Lindsey (Alan) Zarracina, Matthew (Tina) Lassiter, Bailey (Nick) Clark, Phillip Lassiter and Blake Lassiter; great grandchildren,
Faith and Trinity Smith, Madison and Jocelyn Lassiter, Elisa and Sam Clark, and great-great-grandson, Asher Vincent. Maria is also treasured and remembered by her many caretakers who inevitably became her dear friends. Alfonsa Contreras Palacio, with her warm smile, always made sure she had a great conversation and her favorite mango and papaya smoothies. And Nancy Salguero, who Maria affectionately called “Angel.” Maria will be laid to rest next to her husband at a graveside service at Brookside Memorial on Saturday, September 18, at 10a. In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations to Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston’ Refugee Services.