Manuela Pedraza Garcia Shoenfield has lived the American dream of citizenship. Traveling from Aldama, Tamaulipas, Mexico, in June 1998, she became an American citizen on March 15 at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service in Houston.
Raul Garcia and Shoenfield were married for more than 20 years, up until his death. During Garcia’s illness and hospital stays Shoenfield put off completing the necessary paperwork to become a citizen to focus on his care.
Garcia helped Shoenfield bring her two children to the U.S. in August 2000, so they could become citizens of this country.
When Shoenfield married her second husband, Donald, he encouraged her to pursue her citizenship and get her paperwork in order.
Diane Churchuel, best friend of Shoenfield’s for more than 25 years and Jaine Delgado, a notary, helped her study and ensure her papers were correct in order to become a U.S. citizen. Churchuel accompanied her to the Houston office to become a citizen.
“I worked hard to become a U.S. citizen,” Shoenfield said. “I worked for Churchuel, my first boss, for three years,” she added.
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