Josephine A. Zaragoza

With hearts full of love and gratitude, we celebrate the life of our beloved sister in Christ, Josephine Arispe Zaragoza, who entered her eternal home on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the age of 86. She passed peacefully in her home, surrounded by the family and friends who cherished her deeply. After a lifetime of faithful service and missionary devotion, she has now received her heavenly reward. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by an 11:00 a.m. service on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Faith Outreach Christian Center. Interment will follow at Oakland Cemetery. Pastor Henry Sanders will officiate. Services are entrusted to Nobles Funeral Chapel.

Born on January 31, 1940, in Houston, Texas, to Guadalupe and Mary Acosta Arispe, Josephine—known lovingly as Josie—was destined for a life of compassion, strength, and unwavering faith. On July 4, 1957, she married the love of her life, Henry Villasana Zaragoza, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Together, they built a family, a business, and ultimately, a ministry that touched countless lives.

In the late 1970s, Josie and Henry owned the Fiesta Restaurant in Navasota, but it was her acceptance of Christ soon after that transformed the course of her life. As members of Faith Outreach Center Church of Navasota, Josie and Henry answered God’s call to missionary work in Mexico. There, side by side, they preached, taught, prayed, and poured the love of Christ into every community they served. Josie embraced her role as a pastor’s wife with grace and boldness, ministering to many with her gentle spirit and powerful testimony.

Even after Henry’s passing, Josie continued her mission work with remarkable courage and devotion, traveling to Mexico faithfully until 2025. Her heart for evangelism never dimmed—she shared the message of Christ with anyone who would listen, whether across borders or across the street. Her life was a living sermon of love, humility, and obedience to God’s calling.

Josie is preceded in death by her parents, Mary Acosta and Guadalupe Arispe; her husband, Henry Zaragoza; her daughter, Patricia Ott; great‑granddaughters, Ellie and Daisy Ott; and great‑grandson, Witten Ruben Scott Pimentel.

She leaves behind a legacy carried forward by her children: Henry Jr. and wife Laura Zaragoza; Adam and wife Jennifer Zaragoza, all of Navasota; Sylvia and husband Ruben Pimentel of Conroe; Rosemary Zaragoza of Navasota; and Alice and husband Bill Stephens of Huntsville. She is also survived by her twenty‑one grandchildren, fifty‑one great‑grandchildren, five great‑great‑grandchildren, and a host of extended family and dear friends who were blessed by her love.

Honoring Josie as pallbearers are Kyle Zaragoza, Scotty Pimentel, Jeremy Pimentel, Randall Mark Sechelski Jr., Robert Gerard Torres Jr., James Stephens, Rogelio Espinoza Jr., and David Copeland.

Josie’s life was a testament to faith in action—a life poured out in service, compassion, and unwavering devotion to the Lord. Her legacy will continue to shine through the generations she nurtured, the souls she touched, and the mission fields she helped transform. Though she will be deeply missed, we rejoice knowing she now rests in the arms of her Savior, hearing the words she lived her whole life to receive:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”