Esperanza (Candia) Lehman passed away July 17, 2024. She was born June 17, 1945 in Ysleta, Texas (now a part of El Paso) to Ramon Candia and Otilia (Herrera), the third of eight children. The family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she graduated from St Mary’s High School, working long hours to pay the tuition. She was always self-reliant and excellent at sales, a reflection of her unfailingly pleasant manner, intelligence and perseverance.
While working for American Airlines she met her husband, Earnest Lehman in Washington, DC during the 1976 Bicentennial. Their only child, Jeanne Lara, was born in 1978. Earnie’s career led the family to Wichita, Topeka and Hays, Kansas except for a too-short four years back in El Paso. Esperanza and Earnie retired to Austin, Texas in 2018.
Throughout her entire life Esperanza lent a compassionate and helping hand to family, friends and complete strangers. In Kansas, where she was better known as Lara (in honor of a revered ancestor) Esperanza volunteered in many fields including CASA, domestic abuse shelters, the Hays Medical Center, translation services and several more. She was particularly known statewide for her work with the Latino community.
Esperanza was predeceased by her parents, sister Lucilla (Hernandez) and brothers Ramon and Raul. She is survived by her husband and daughter Jeanne Lara Lehman Lopez (Francisco Lopez Reyes), granddaughter Alicia Lehman-Woodyard and grandsons Lenox and Henrix Lopez. Esperanza lived for her grandchildren. Other survivors include brothers Macario, Hector and Francisco as well as sister Delia (Wang).
A private family service was held followed by cremation.