Maria E. (Zapata) Bailey

Maria Eufemia Bailey age 51, of Meridian, passed away on July 10, 2022 in Clifton, Texas.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, July 16, 2022 at the Riverside Baptist Church in Meridian. Bro. R.C. Kelly will officiate. Burial will be in the Meridian Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M., Friday, July 15, 2022 also at the church.

Maria Eufemia Zapata was born on July 30, 1970 in Hillsboro, Texas to Juan and Rosa Castillo Zapata. She was the oldest of 5 children. Maria attended Morgan ISD all through her years and graduated with the class of 1988. She then attended Hill College where there she received her Associates Degree in Business Management. She has numerous jobs throughout her adult life but her pride and joy would have been the title of "The Librarian" at Iredell ISD for many years. Maria was truly one of a kind, a good person with lots of love, good friend, loving oldest sister. She loved social media so much that we named her the "FB Queen" because she always wanted to post a positive comment on everyone's post/comment. She always made a comment that made everyone laugh. Maria was the type of person that would always want to help out everyone. She was a person that loved her church and her church family and to serve her Lord. Maria knew her Lord and Savior and loved to share his word. Maria loved posting quotes from Facebook. Her last quote was just a couple of days before her passing and it stated "parents don't need your tears when they die. They need your hugs, laughter, love and care while still alive."

Left to cherish her memories are her mother, Rosa Zapata; father of her children, Earl Andrew Bailey; sons, Juan Andrew Bailey and Aiden Price Bailey; sisters, Dolores Munoz and husband, Pedro, Mary Murray and husband, Paul, Liliana Garza and husband, Freddie, Rosie Zapata and wife, Allenna; brother-in-law, Bubba Longacre; nieces and nephews, Maya Murray, Sara and Albert Lara, Daniela and Charly Gonzalez, Violeta Munoz and Jasmin Munoz, Trae and Jaclynn Longacre, Jesus, Victor and Rey Garza; great-nieces and great-nephews, Ivan Rivera, Sofia and Gracie Lara, Ismael Gonzalez and Mylene Munoz; numerous other cousins and many friends.

Preceded in death by her father, Juan Zapata.

Arrangements were entrusted to Lawson Funeral Home, Meridian, Texas- 254-435-2792.