Josephine Milstead Cantu's Obituary
Obituary of Josephine Milstead Cantu Please share a memory of Josephine to include in a keepsake book for family and friends. View Tribute Book Josephine Milstead Cantu, age 89, passed away surrounded by the love of her family. She was born on December 20, 1935, in Harlingen, Texas, to Ismael and Reyes Milstead. Josephine grew up in a large and loving family with her five brothers—Joe, E.R., Mike, Manuel, and Douglas—who all held a special place in her heart.Josephine later married the love of her life, Jimmy Cantu, and together they built a strong and beautiful family. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother to her four children—Jimmy D. Cantu, Susan Hall, Robert Cantu, and Jackie Miller—and the proud grandmother of 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Her family was her greatest blessing, and she often said that her true wealth came from the love and joy they brought into her life.A woman of strength, conviction, and compassion, Josephine dedicated herself not only to her family but also to her community. She was instrumental in advocating for the people of Brookside Village, taking on city council to secure road improvements and successfully preventing a sewage plant from being built in her neighborhood. She was deeply involved in civic life, working with the Democratic Party, helping during elections, serving as an interpreter, and ensuring Hispanic families in her community were registered to vote and empowered to make their voices heard.Josephine will be remembered as a caring soul who always looked after others, a woman of deep faith and integrity, and a matriarch whose love extended to all who knew her. She considered herself rich not in material things, but in the love of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved dearly and proudly.She is preceded in death by her parents, Ismael and Reyes Milstead, and her husband, Jimmy Cantu, Sr. She leaves behind a legacy of love, service, and devotion that will live on through her family and all who were blessed to know her.Funeral services for Josephine will be held at Clayton Funeral Home of Pearland on Saturday, August 30th, 2025. Her family will receive guests from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, with the funeral service commencing at 12:00 pm. Interment will follow the service at South Park Cemetery.
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