Janie Salinas

The world lost a truly unique soul  last week. Janie left  this life on April 7, 2023  to join her siblings Lucy Alarcon and Bertha Tarango, Parents Elvira P. Balderrama, Jesus Balderrama and other beloved family members that passed before her. Janie’s legacy lives on in her daughter Gillian Woods son-in-law Wesley Woods, and granddaughters Leila and Sydney Woods. Joining them in celebrating Janie’s life is niece Jennifer Alarcon as  well as her sister Stella Leal and nieces Selene Leal, Corrie Hajjar and Lisa Leal, brother Frankie and Terry Ann Balderrama and nieces Taylor and Audrey Balderrama. Her BFF and closest cousin Nellie Ruiz de Esparza, along with several other wonderful cousins.  A local girl, born in Anthony , Texas where she lived a childhood  in the company of three sisters playing in freshly picked cotton trailers. She took chronic illness in stride and her love of life was contagious. She was funny,  her humor was usually dry, loved a good dose of sarcasm and never failed to leave you with a smile on your face.

Due to her incessant work ethic, her mothering skills were lacking, but she more than  made up for it with her granddaughters. As a grandmother  she taught her girls to love life, how to take risks and follow your heart for things/people you love and to have fun. She was a saint and a little devil  in one and taught them the beautiful  balance between the two. 

She requested there be no services and in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Animal Rescue League of El paso. Janie didn’t want anyone to mourn her loss so remind everyone who knew her to take this news and let it fill you with happy memories of the life she had. Celebrate your own. Do anything that makes you laugh. Her ashes will be scattered in an unknown location and unknown time (because her request is probably illegal).

 “Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow. If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all prejudices against fellow man. Give my sins to the devil, Give my soul to God If, by chance you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed to someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever” –To Remember Me  by   Robert Noel Test.  

I have fought the good fight I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Timothy 4:6-7

For A.S. -  “Seems  like yesterday

But it was long ago 

Janie was lovely, she was the queen of my nights

There in the darkness with the radio playing low

And the secrets that we shared

Mountains that we moved

Caught like a wildfire out of control

‘Til there was nothing left to burn”.