Amatulli Joseph
Joseph "Joe" Amatulli
Celestina "Chele" Valenzuela
Born 6 April 1927 in Terlingua, Texas
died 7 April 2020 in Kendale, Texas
she was 93 years and 1 day of age.
Joseph Amatulli age 46 married Celestina Valenzuela age 46
on July 7, 1973
at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Alpine, Texas
Certificate number 071298
Yolanda Rascón, niece of Celestina, sent this photo on August 24, 2020 saying that the tombstone had been set the previous Friday on August 21, 2020.
Interment will be later in the year.
Chele's memorial services will be on
Saturday November 14, 2020 at 9:00 AM
at the outdoor chapel at Holy Angels Cemetery in Alpine, Texas 

The rosary will be prayed at 9:00 AM followed by the internment services.
Traviesa Chele
Remembering Celestina Valenzuela Amatulli's

In 1973 married to Joseph “Joe” Amatulli and moved to Crown Point, Indiana.  They had met through a Catholic magazine that had a match making section.  Her husband was a teacher and taught school in Gary, Indiana.    Gregarious Chele volunteered to work at Saint Anthony Medical Center.  When one of her nephews visited her in Crown Point she took him to the hospital.  Not surprisingly at every floor everyone knew her and loved her.

While Joe was working they lived in his home in Crown Point, and spent the summers in Alpine at her house.  After Joe retired from teaching, they moved to her house in Alpine.  

Chele has a friend in every port, as they say.   She never met a stranger.   She was really loved by many.   

I was her favorite.  I know this stirs a question in each one of you “I thought I was her favorite” and that is because she treated everyone as they were the most important person in the world to her.  She truly embodied the commandment of “Love your neighbor as yourself.”   She was special to so many.   Jackie Martinez was her “Chamaca.”   Nenel was her “Chamaco.”   My brother, Felix, was her “Chalito”  And Jackie Cantu was her Guurrrl.   

Chele was pure joy.   If joy had a picture, it would be Chele.   Whether she was dealing with a tough situation in life or a happy situation in life she approached it with total joy.  Wow.  Something we can all learn from.  

I want to thank the Cantu Family for opening up your home to take care of Chele in her final years.  With Natalie’s quick wit and Chele’s traviesa, there was a whole lot of laughter!   It was such a blessing to have her join our Sunday lunches at Mom’s and play games.  Sweet memories that I will always treasure.  

The main impression Chele leaves is that she loved to joke, kid around, and laugh.  Many of her nephews and nieces called her “traviesa,” trouble-maker.  She was always fun and adventurous and ready with a trouble making joke.  She was really a traviesa.

And the most important legacy that Chele and all the Valenzuela family leave us with, is our Catholic faith as they were examples of following Christ in their every day.   Chele was well known for arming so many people with the most powerful weapon, the rosary from Our Blessed Mother.   She made rosaries for so many and likely each of you that are here today were blessed with one.   It was one of the ways Chele witnessed her Catholic Faith.   She passed that talent to some of her nieces and nephews that now make rosaries and keep this legacy going.  
We miss you, Tia Chele, and look forward when we reunite in our Heavely home.   Rest in Peace, sweet Chele.


Photos of Chele

This page was created August 24, 2020 by Antonio S. Franco.  We will be adding more to this page as we get material ready.
This page last updated with wedding record information on November 3, 2020.