Cómo quisiera, ay
Que tú vivieras
Que tus ojitos jamás se hubieran
Cerrado nunca y estar mirándolos
Amor eterno
E inolvidable
Tarde o temprano estaré contigo
Para seguir amándonos

How I wish, oh
That you still lived
For your loving eyes to never ever have closed
And to be looking at them
Eternal love
And unforgettable
Sooner or later, I will be with you to continue
Loving each other

AMOR ETERNO - Juan Gabriel

Evangelina Robles-Gasnarez (Dimas), 84, of Fort Wayne, Indiana found her place in God's eternal garden while at home on Saturday August 2nd, 2025. Evangelina (or "Eva" as she was affectionately called by many) was born in San Fernando, Tamaulipas-Mexico on September 15th, 1940, to Espiridion Gasnarez (father) and Aurora Dimas (mother). Her mother died when Evangelina was a toddler.

In addition to her biological parents, Evangelina was also preceded in death by her padres de crianza (forever foster parents) sister Maria Gasnarez (de Bejarano) and husband Luis Bejarano, who raised her from early childhood. Though separated and estranged for some time, her husband Emilio Robles-Aguirre passed away in 2002. Evangelina was also the last living member of her remaining nine siblings: Noe Gasnarez, Esther Gasnarez (de Martinez,) Nieves Gasnarez (de Bejarano), Rodrigo Gasnarez, Javier Gasnarez, Alonso Gasnares, Maria Gasnarez (de Noria), Constancio Dimas-Paz, and José Dimas-Paz.

After moving to Brownsville and Harlingen, Texas in the early 1940's, Eva's destiny lead her to the Fort Wayne area with Luis and Maria, where the Bejaranos and Evangelina's other siblings moved to el Norte in pursuit of consistent work and opportunity. They found what they were looking for as workers in the vast produce fields beyond Smith and MacBeth Roads on the Southwest side of town, now occupied by Republic National Landfills, Orchard Ridge Country Club and the surrounding areas. As part of a trailblazing "first" wave, Eva was a founding member of the Mexican and Latinx immigrant community that created deep roots and made Fort Wayne and Northeastern Indiana their home. She was among very few survivors left to recount these critical experiences, forever shaping the identity of our community.

When first arriving Fort Wayne she attended Waynedale Elementary School and was an eventual graduate of Elmhurst High School. In her youth, her family often pivoted for prolonged periods seasonally between Fort Wayne and Brownsville, Texas. In her late 20's during a periodic trip to Mexico, she met the man who would become her husband (Emilio Robles-Aguirre) at la feria (a holiday Christmas fair) in the public plaza of her birthplace in San Fernando. They were married in Fort Wayne at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in June of 1970 and welcomed the birth of their only child (Emilio) in August of 1971 at St. Joe Hospital. For brief periods thereafter, the young family lived in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico until a series of hardships compelled Evangelina to return to Fort Wayne with Luis and Maria Bejarano just as her son was becoming of school age. From that time on, she lived permanently in the family home and creating a tight-knit "alternate nuclear family", where the four formed an intimate and inseparable bond lasting over 40 years.

Though she spent her early motherhood years in Fort Wayne as a dedicated employee of Sandpoint Greenhouse (now McNamara Florist) and Delancey Produce and Farmer's Market (formerly located near Sandpoint and Smith Roads) Evangelina found her true vocation working in many supportive and critical roles within Fort Wayne Community Schools for over three decades, starting in the late 70's and retiring in 2016. During her career, she worked with ASL students and the hearing impaired, students with learning disabilities and special needs, middle schoolers, troubled teens in high school, and as a high school library assistant. As a bilingual asset, her most enduring impact is tied to the memories of her years at Lindley Elementary School, as a K-5 classroom assistant in its (then) innovative Spanish Immersion Program, which distinguished Lindley for approximately two decades from schools nation-wide, state-wide and in the district.

During her summers "off" from the classroom, Eva was often a familiar face at Delancey Produce and Farmer's Market in the 2000's. Whether in the fields or running the register and selling the wonders of their locally grown fresh tomatoes, cantaloupe, and sweetcorn, it continually connected her to the Delancey family and the land she knew so well as a child.

Evangelina was a faithful and spiritual individual with a quiet strength and a "pioneer spirit" who was no stranger to hard physical work. She found great pleasure in the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder and enjoyed watching programs where survival and human gumption were pitted against the forces of nature such as Naked and Afraid and (one of her favorites) Alaska the Last Frontier . Among other things, Evangelina will be remembered for her colorful turns of phrase, her ability to laugh at herself, her fondness for mischief, and her role as the last generational tie bearing witness to much of her nieces and nephews complex and rich family history.

Her ability to bring the much-requested arroz Mexicano at family gatherings will also be missed.

Evangelina is survived by her son Emilio G. Robles Jr. (also of Fort Wayne), and multiple generations of nieces, nephews, and godchildren living locally, in California, Iowa, New Jersey, the greater Houston area, north Texas, the Texas Rio Grande Valley, and the northern frontera of Mexico. These relatives bear and/or connected to the surnames of Gasnarez, Bejarano, Martinez, Robles, and Dimas. Her legacy also lives on through the thousands of hearts and minds of children, parents, teachers, and staff she touched while working at Fort Wayne Community Schools.

Those wishing to honor Eva's life can attend the viewing at Divine Mercy Funeral Home (3500 Lake Ave. in Fort Wayne) with calling on Sunday August 10th from 1:00pm-5:00pm. A Funeral Mass of Remembrance will be celebrated at 11:00am Monday August 11th, 2025 at Divine Mercy Funeral Home. The service will be officiated by a close college friend of Evangelina's son Emilio, Father Patrick Beidelman from the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Indianapolis. Calling will begin at 10:00am. Burial will follow immediately afterwards with graveside blessings and farewells at Fort Wayne Catholic Cemetery, 3500 Lake Ave.

Flowers are appreciated for the services and decorating of the chapel. Shades of purple, pink, salmon, coral and lavender are encouraged for attire. Those wishing to send cards or messages of condolence, please contact Divine Mercy Funeral Home for an address to the family home.

Arrangements through Divine Mercy Funeral Home, 3500 Lake Ave. To share a remembrance of Evangelina or offer condolences, please visit DivineMercyFuneralHome.com