Soledad 'Shirley' Castro

Soledad (Shirley) Hernandez Castro

01/12/1938 ~ 08/25/2021

Soledad 'Shirley' Castro passed into the arms of the Lord on Wednesday August 25, 2021 at a Houston hospital.  She was born on January 12, 1938 to Ramon Lozano Hernandez and Francisca Ramirez in Wharton, Texas.  She worked at Wharton Steam Laundry for 27 years.  She married Benjamin (Bennie) Rivera Castro on February 9, 1958. They lived in Hungerford, Texas for a while before moving back to Wharton, Texas. They lived there until Bennie’s death on January 11, 2011. She then moved to East Bernard, Texas shortly after to be with her daughter and her family. Shirley loved to play bingo every Friday, especially at American Legion #226 in East Bernard where her husband worked. She also  loved dancing, doing word searches, and watching all kinds of sports (especially if they involved the Oregon Ducks). Birthdays with the grandkids were always memorable, as she and her grandson, Nathan, shared birthdays on January 12th. Every year on her granddaughter’s birthday, she always sang, “ Las Mañanitas” to her. Not a year went by that she didn’t. In fact, she loved to sing anything mariachi. 

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Bennie and her siblings, Mary Hernandez Aguilar, Frank Hernandez, Santos Hernandez Rivera, Raymond Hernadez Jr, and Margaret Hernandez Garcia. Also, her half-brother, George Hernandez and half-sister Elvira Barrera. 

She is survived by her daughter Anna Castro Salcido and son-in-law Al, her grandson Nathan Castro, and granddaughter Alcadia (Cadi) Salcido, all of East Bernard. She is also survived by her brothers Eliseo Hernandez and wife Lucilla of Wharton and Johnnie Hernandez and wife Sonia of Mandeville, Louisiana and her sister-in-laws Anita Hernandez of Wharton and Faye Hernandez. She also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Last but not least, she was also survived by Bennie’s “Ford Street Family”, whom she was also very close to. 

Shirley truly left an impact on others. She was a grandmother to more than just Nathan and Alcadia, but to their friends as well. She was a woman very in touch with her faith and she was always there to comfort others. She will truly be missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to her memorial service on Thursday September 2, from 5-7 P.M. at Wharton Funeral Home.  Rosary will be said at 7:00 P.M.  Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, family request donations to help offset final expenses ℅ Wharton Funeral Home.

To leave condolences for the family, kindly visit www.whartonfuneralhome.com  

Services under the direction of 

Wharton Funeral Home

515 E. Boling Hwy.

Wharton, TX 77488

(979) 532-3410