by Griselda Sauceda López, Zeta Alumnus

As I attended her visitation and prayer service, I realized that what her pastor was saying was true. Why should I wish she was still here, instead I should be happy of the wondrous place she is in now. I just miss her so, and I did not get a chance to tell her how special she was to me or that I loved her.
Aweta Esther Totman was born to her proud parents George Totman and Esther Totman in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
They lived in Rio Hondo which is about 27 miles from Brownsville or South Padre Island, Texas. There her and her brother
George attended Rio Hondo Independent School District and with their parents attended St. Helen’s Catholic Church.
Her father preceded her in death in 1983 coincidently of the same thing, cancer. Her mom was now a single mother raising two children. She and her sister Maria Castillo decided to combine their income, buy a house to live and raise their children together.
Her cousin Connie was very little at the time, but together the three were like siblings.
In Aweta’s secondary school career the
unthinkable happened. On a trip to
Brownsville with her family they were
involved in an automobile accident that left Aweta with a broken neck. Luckily she would be able to recuperate with several years of therapy.
She graduated Rio Hondo High School in May of 1994. Then later that fall attend Sam Houston State University where she would pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. Not just any teacher but a Bilingual Education Major with a minor in Spanish her native tongue. She graduated Sam Houston in 1999 and ever since then was teaching in the Humble Independent School District.
I have known Aweta for a very long time because I too am from the little town of Rio Hondo. With a population of 1,800
people you know everybody. My sister and her were friends and in the same grade and they graduated together. Our families
attended the same Catholic Church. We even lived a street across from each other.
I was very happy that in the fall of 1994 I had the pleasure of being her New Member Educator at Zeta Chapter. She became my Kappa Delta Chi Sister later that fall and we were even closer than before because we shared a special bond and secret.
Aweta was a very special person; she was very giving of herself. She fit into KDChi’s philosophy perfectly, she lived to help others and serve the Lord.
Aweta was funny and enjoyed having a good time. I remember her first vehicle a brown truck that only drove forward because it could not go in reverse. Later having a new green truck and taking us for a cruise on Demon’s Road in Huntsville.
When I heard of Aweta’s passing I was in shock and for several hours thought it to be a big misunderstanding. I made the sad trip from Laredo to Rio Hondo to attend all her funeral services. When I saw the countless people who had traveled from Houston and Humble in vans, whom were her colleagues and current church family and almost all of the Rio Hondo community, it became apparent to me that she was an angel who had been sent down to touch all of our lives and that while we are still
here on earth we should do the same. So even from heaven, Aweta is still teaching.