1942-2026
Adriana “Diana” Cisneros Leal, of Hereford, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 17, 2026, at her home at the age of 84.
Diana was born on August 13, 1942, in Harlingen, Texas to Ernesto Cisneros and Lupita White and was raised by Socorro Puente Benavidez. Diana met the love of her life, Jose P. Leal, at Grasso Shrimp Company in Harlingen, Texas where they both worked as teenagers. He was enamored by her beauty which led to him asking her out for their first date to the dance hall in Brownsville, Texas. Soon after, they married on August 8, 1959 in Harlingen, Texas. The couple moved to Hereford in 1960 where they started a family and raised 4 beautiful children, 3 daughters and a son. They were members of the Mision Bautista Nueva Vida church in Hereford. Diana and Jose recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary.
Diana was a woman of strong and unwavering faith in God and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She faithfully attended her small church, where she loved singing hymns and worshiping with her church family. She cherished the opportunity to serve others, especially the children during Vacation Bible School, and was always willing to help wherever she was needed. Her faith was a beautiful part of who she was, and she leaves behind a legacy of love, service, and devotion. She is now at peace and home with her Lord.
Diana held many job titles throughout her life, but none were more important than the title of Mom, Grandma, Vieja, Wella, Gigi and Yaya. She worked tirelessly as a homemaker while her children were young. She never sat idle and was always in the kitchen making homemade hot meals and salsa in her molcajete alongside fresh tortillas, rice and beans. She kept a tidy home and was always cleaning the bathroom with way too many chemicals or stringing up towels on the clothesline. When her kids were younger, she would sew clothes for them. She had even been known to embroider her husbands initials into his handkerchiefs for him. As the kids grew up and went to school, Diana took jobs outside of the home. She took pride in everything she put her energy into and worked as a lunch lady at the elementary school cafeteria, as a field laborer harvesting sugar beets, in a laundromat, as a housekeeper at the nursing home, a custodian and as a nursery care attendant at the First Baptist Church- oh how she loved caring for all the babies!
Diana was also a guardian to three of her young grandchildren. Extra money was scarce during that time but she provided entertainment for them by taking them to the local parks and swimming pools, aquatic center and the public library. It was there at the Deaf Smith County Library where she took classes to learn to write. It’s also where her love of reading began. Her enthusiasm for books was passed on to her daughter and granddaughters. Diana also loved word search and other puzzles. She enjoyed picking up worn paperback copies at garage sales for a quarter and thrifting clothes and knickknacks. She didn’t have very many material possessions when she was a child so as an adult she collected little treasures. Many of those treasures included vintage Pyrex, watches, purses, hats and jewelry of any kind. She adored baby dolls, Mickey Mouse, Eeyore and art from Thomas Kinkade because they always put a smile on her face. Diana found joy in taking trips with her friends to see the mountains in New Mexico, visiting her family in the Valley, walking the beaches of South Padre Island and going on early morning or evening walks around the block. She loved spending time with her kids and grandkids in Amarillo, Austin and San Antonio. And she especially loved when they came to visit her. Time with her loved ones was the best gift you could give her.
Diana was a breast cancer warrior- she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 65 on her very first mammogram. She had never had a mammogram before because she didn’t have healthcare benefits to cover the cost. Though she lost a breast in the process, her life was spared. Her family is eternally grateful it was caught early and for the wonderful care received by the staff at Harrington Breast Center. After her diagnosis, pink became her signature color. Donning their pink ribbons, she and her daughter, Melinda, attended several Komen Race For The Cure and Our Colors Run Together-5K and fun-run that benefit and support community breast health and the life-saving power of earlier detection.
Diana wore many hats for all the people in her life. She was funny and had an amazing laugh. She had the gift of sarcasm that has been passed down to many other family members (this would make her laugh). She was kind and generous and would do without so others had plenty. She was a dedicated wife and always made sure to have a hot meal ready for her husband on his lunch break. She was selfless and sensitive. She didn’t always know how to communicate so she would feel hurt in silence but she loved in a grand way. If she loved you, you knew it and there was never any doubt.
She is preceded in death by her birth mother Lupita White, mom Socorro Puente Benavidez, grandson Taylor Larvin and great grandsons, Samuel and Jackson Holland.
Those left to cherish her memories are her husband of 67 years, Jose Leal of Hereford, Texas; children, Laura Leal Garza and husband Richard of Pflugerville, Texas, Leticia Leal Larvin and husband Bill of Austin, Texas, Hector Leal and his wife Gloria of San Antonio, Texas, and Melinda Leal Underwood and husband JayJ of Amarillo, Texas; eleven grandchildren, Joseph Luna, Monica Holland (Sam), Samantha Leal (Rich), Aaron Leal (Daylin), Joshua Huggett, Joe Aguilar, Cassandra Aguilar, Vincent Aguilar, and Jakob Underwood; fifteen great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; and siblings, Frederick White of Harlingen, Texas, Elizabeth White of Harlingen, Texas, Sophia Alonzo of Harlingen, Texas, and Rosemary Garcia (Cevero) of Killeen, Texas.
A special thank you to Hannah Layman, RN and team of nurses from Samaritan Hospice who lovingly cared for Diana for the last eight months of her life; caregivers, Brianna Davalos and Delma Mendez who were present when family couldn’t be, and for the neighbors, friends and family who would stop by to bring food, check on, or pray with Diana and Jose in their time of need.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Mendez and Mullins Family Funeral Home with Pastor Nathan Adams officiating. Arrangements and Cremation Services have been entrusted to Mendez and Mullins Family Funeral Home of Hereford.