Elias Tijerina Sr.

June 10, 1929 – April 6, 2018

Elias Tijerina Sr., 88, longtime former resident of Moses Lake, Wash., went to be with the Lord on April 6, 2018 after his sudden death.

Elias Sr., was born June 10, 1929 in Carrizo Springs, Texas to Domingo Trevino Rodriguez and Antonia Herrera Trevino. At the young age of 10 months he was adopted and raised by parents Patricio Tijerina and Concepcion SanMiguel Tijerina.

He was raised in Carrizo Springs along with his brothers and sisters. He married the love of his life, Consuelo Hernandez, on Dec. 31, 1952 in Lubbock, Texas.

They lived in Fostoria, Ohio for 18 years and then moved to Moses Lake, Wash. where they lived for 25 years before returning to Carrizo Springs where he answered his calling to pastor at Gethsemani Baptist Church, the same church his father Patricio Tijerina once preached at in the early years of Elias Sr.’s youth. He had a great passion for serving the Lord, preaching and spreading God’s word to all, always helping others and praying for his children. Had it not been for slowly losing his eyesight, he would have still been pastoring. He didn’t need a written sermon; he spoke from his heart.

His other passion was the love of playing his guitar. He started playing in his youth, until his final days. When he would come visit his children in Moses Lake, he always made it a point to get together with “Los Classicos” (the old timers) from the church to play some old-time hymns.

We will miss him very much, but will always be in our hearts.

Elias was preceded in death by his first wife Consuelo (Chelo) Tijerina; son Rolando Tijerina; daughters Adelfa Tijerina, Yollanda Roelle and Irene Ortiz; both sets of parents, Patricio Tijerina and Concepcion SanMiguel Tijerina, and Domingo Trevino Rodriguez and Antonia Herrera Trevino. brothers Joel Tijerina, Daniel Tijerina (infant when passed), Daniel Tijerina (second brother named Daniel after infant who passed), Tomas Flores, Arturo Trevino and Alfredo Trevino; sisters Genoveva Tijerina Patlan and Eva Trevino Nieto and grandson Carlos (Chacho) Gamboa.

He is survived by his present wife Viola Tijerina of San Antonio, Texas, sons Elias Jr. (Rafelita) and Roberto (Christina); daughters Olga Gamboa and Anita (Jim) Webb; 23 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren and sisters Mercedes Tijerina DeLeon, Ramona Trevino Duran and Carolina Trevino Naranjo.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 14, 2018 at Sendero Life Center, 2227 W. Peninsula Dr. in Moses Lake.