Maria Carmen Samaniego was called home by the Lord after faithfully serving Him for 71 years. On March 21, 2024. Carmen (“Guagi”) was reunited in heaven with the love of her life, husband, Marco, son, Marco, Jr., son, Brian Mitchell, mother, Herminia Gonzalez, father, Gabriel Gonzalez, and brothers Pepe, Jorge & Genaro. Carmen was born in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and lived in El Paso, Texas, for the last 45 years. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mom, Guagi, and friend. She was loved deeply and will be greatly missed.

Carmen graduated from Indio High School in 1971. From Mexico, she moved to Indio, California, where she met Marco. They married in 1970. They were married 45 years until the Lord called her “Honey” home. Carmen accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior in 1968. The family moved to El Paso, Texas, in 1979. In her early years, Carmen worked as a secretary at MHMR El Paso, Congregacion Hispana, and El Paso Baptist Association. She also served as a Chaplain for Outreach Health Services in El Paso. In 1988, the Lord called Marco & Carmen into ministry and together, they founded and directed Hands of Luke Medical Ministries, Inc. She was a wonderful mother, not only to her 5 children, but to many others she “adopted” along the way, to include the children at Casa de Esperanza Children’s Home. She faithfully attended Lakeside Baptist Church for over 30 years.

Carmen was a Pastor’s wife, a missionary, and an excellent cook with a servant’s heart. Serving the Lord faithfully was her greatest joy, followed by spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She ministered to others daily through a meal, counsel or gifts, and was a true blessing to anyone she came across. She was a very loving, generous and nurturing woman. She never met a stranger. She enjoyed interior design and changing the décor in her home to match the time of year. If you ever visited her, you know her home looked like a museum and every room had its own story. Carmen was the pillar of her family and truly was a Proverbs 31 woman.

Carmen is survived by: daughter Helen Samaniego (wife of Marco Jr), grandchildren Rachel (Eli), Christian, Sara, Erik, Cindy, Sophia, great grandchildren Jacob, Aiden, Alan, Emberlyn, Noah; daughter, Laura Mitchell, grandchildren Andrew, Samantha (Noah), Miranda, and great granddaughter Mylah; daughter Mari Pinon and husband Jose, grandchildren Matthew, Jose, Nicholas, and Mari Carmen; son Josue and grandson Izaiah; son Isaac and wife Susana, grandchildren Isaac, Isabelle, Isannah; sister, Esperanza Olivares; sister Carmen Sanchez.

Carmen’s Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, March 30^th, 2024, at Scotsdale Baptist Church, 10015 Lockerbie Ave, El Paso, TX, 79925. Visitation and viewing is from 9:00am-11:00am, with the service beginning at 11:00am. Reception will follow at EPMPOA Memorial Hall, 3601 Rutherglen, El Paso, TX, 79925. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be streamed Live on the Facebook Page of Lakeside Baptist Church (El Paso, TX).

In lieu of flowers, Carmen has requested donations be made to the ministry she and Marco founded 36 years ago: Hands of Luke Medical Ministries at www.handsofluke.org ; text HANDSOFLUKE to 707070 on your mobile phone; or scan the QR code below

Carmen’s Life Verse: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105