Lydia Champion

Lydia Garcia Champion passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 19, 2025 at her home in Weslaco, Texas at the age of 92. Lydia was born to Jacinto Garcia and Sofia Salas on April 27, 1933 and was the third of four siblings. Lydia attended Weslaco High School, where she was the first Hispanic to become Miss Weslaco and later attended Pan American University. Lydia spent the entirety of her career working in the legal court system - starting at the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office at the age of 17. Lydia moved on to work in the Juvenile Probation Department and later became a Court Reporter for Hidalgo County, ending with the 92nd District Court in Hidalgo County. Lydia then went to join the Hidalgo County Adult Probation Office as a Probation Officer, becoming an Assistant Director and later Director. (She was the first female in the state of Texas to become an Adult Probation Director at that time.) After 30 years of being a Hidalgo County employee, Lydia retired from the county and continued her career as an Administrative Assistant for the Fifth Administrative Judicial District, under the honorable Jose R. Alamia. She would finally retire with the US District Courts as a Court Clerk (Brownsville and Edinburg), under the Honorable Ricardo H. Hinojosa - leaving her to complete 50 years working within the court system. Lydia married Jimmie Robert Champion in 1955 and they resided in Edinburg, Texas. Jimmie worked for KURV 710 radio and later became part owner of KESI FM 108, sister station of KURV. Lydia and Jimmie spent their early years traveling to places such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, Spain, France, Austria, Portugal, Puerto Rico, England and Switzerland, and South Padre Island where they spent many family vacations. As a devout Catholic, one of her proudest moments during her travels was receiving a private audience with Pope Paul VI while visiting Italy in 1973. After Jimmie passed away unexpectedly in 1982, Lydia spent her later years of retirement with one more trip to Europe, traveling closer to home and spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lydia is survived by her children - son, Jerry Champion (Isabelle), daughter Gloria Ann Champion, grandchildren - Melissa Kristine Ortega (Omar), Lindsey Michelle Olivarez, Katherine Danielle Olivarez, Jimmie Robert Champion II (Analissa), Adrienne Isabelle Champion (Ray), Fernando Ignacio Hernandez, Robert Andres Hernandez, and great-grandchildren - Victoria Leigh Ortega, Precise M. Olivarez, Anabelle M. Olivarez, Mikayla E. Olivarez, Adrielle Ezra Champion, Juliette Rose Champion, Nash Elise Rodriguez, James Austin Champion. She is also survived by her brother, Rene Garcia (Ofelia) in Austin, Texas, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister, Hilda Gonzalez (Timo), Ignacio Garcia (Nora), brother.

The Champion Family will receive friends on Monday, December 22, 2025 from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM with a rosary to be prayed at 7:00 PM in the Chapel of Peace, Ceballos-Diaz Funeral Home, 322 East Kuhn Street, Edinburg, Texas. Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 501 East Kuhn Street in Edinburg, with a burial to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, 1701 East Richardson Road, Edinburg, Texas. Honored to have the privilege to serve as pallbearers will be: Omar Ortega, Jimmie R. Champion, II., Fernando Hernandez, Robbie Hernanbdezm Precise Olivarez and Ray Lopez, Jr. Funeral services have been entrusted to Johnny Garcia and staff at Ceballos-Diaz Funeral Home of Edinburg.