Rosa G. Contreras

Rosa G. Contreras, 88, of East Moline, IL, passed away, June 26, 2025, at her home.

A Funeral Mass will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church in Moline at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. Visitation will be from 4-6 pm on Tuesday at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. Moline with a Rosary recited at 3:30 pm. Interment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery in East Moline. Memorials may be made to the family.

Rosa was born on May 22, 1937, in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, the daughter of Jose and Antonia Velasquez Rangel. She married Sebastian Ramon Contreras on August 19, 1956 and he preceded her in death on February 21, 2022.

Survivors include her children; Denise (Scott) Contreras Williams, Victoria Nappi, Sergio (MJ) Contreras, Frank (Brenda) Contreras, Berto Contreras (Maria Nino), Guadalupe “Peo” (Tonya) Contreras, Diana (Eric) Ackerman, Sebastian Contreras Jr and Joseph (Trisha) Contreras; 25 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.

As a wife, mother, grandmother, great and great-great grandmother Rosa was and will always be the heart of the Contreras family. For decades, her home, kitchen and dining room table, were the gathering places for family dinners, holiday celebrations, and game nights of lotería and poker. She was an amazing cook who always poured love into her dishes, so it was never a surprise when family or guests asked to take home her made-from-scratch tortillas, tamales, arroz, or sopa de fideo. Despite her small frame, Rosa’s gentle spirit, radiant smile, and warm nature shined brightly and captivated everyone she met, whether friends of her children, neighbors, or strangers at the grocery store, bingo, or the casino.

The love for her family didn’t end with her own children, it extended to her nieces and nephews who also loved her dearly and considered her their second mom.

Rosa greatly cherished the time she spent with family and friends and each of those moments would end with her bendiciones (blessings), prayers for God to keep you safe, and the words “I Love you”. The sun shines a little less brightly today, but her family is eternally grateful for all the years filled with love, laughter, consejos, and tenderness.

Rosa loved caring for and dancing with her husband and above all her catholic faith.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Javier “JC”; grandsons, Andrew Sebastian Contreras and Christopher Gonzalez; son-in-law, Sean O’Shea; brothers, Adolfo Rangel, Leandro Rangel, Juan Rangel and Jeronimo Rangel; and a sister, Beatriz Tristan.

Memories may be shared online by visiting esterdahl.com.