Ana Alexandra Oviedo Medina

Longtime Hendersonville resident Ana Alexandra Oviedo Medina, a Community Outreach Coordinator for Blue Ridge Community Services, and former Henderson County Educational System immigrant advocate and ESL Parent Liaison, went to be with our Heavenly Father on March 4, 2013, at age 28. Ana was an active community advocate until the day she was hospitalized.

A native of Torreon, Mexico, Ana was the daughter of Pastor Alfredo Oviedo and Alejandra Oviedo. She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she majored in Political Science and Spanish. She loved to read and learn. She was also very intelligent. Her memory was admirable.

Ana's beautiful smile made everyone fall in love with her. Her laugh was a beautiful song. She loved to give and shop for everyone else. Ana devoted her life to serving God and to her son, Josue, whom was the light of her universe. Ana also loved to spoil her nieces and nephews and often gave them candy and gifts.

Ana loved life. She enjoyed traveling and learning about other cultures. She was always willing to help anyone and had a genuine care for the patients she worked with. When she was in the hospital, Ana worried and prayed for some of the patients at her job to include a young man with cancer. Ana worried that he did not have any family around.

Ana was always proud of her family and her family is extremely proud of her. She did not like to see anyone unhappy.

Ana had a rare autoimmune disease that began to affect her lungs. It took her at least twice the amount of energy it takes a normal person to complete a task. However, she was able to raise her son, have a full time job, and rarely missed her family's activities. Ana did not complain about her health although she needed more rest to perform daily activities. She became known as our Sleeping Beauty.

Ana loved doing work for the community and advocating for those without a voice. Her favorite activities were going to church; her son's, nephews' and brother's soccer games; and shopping with her mother. Ana was intolerable of injustice and spoke up against it.

Ana was a counselor to many. She always had time to listen to others and offer support. Ana liked to empower women and enjoyed being lovable to babies and children.

Ana will be extremely missed by her family to include: her wonderful and loving son, Josue; her husband Josue; parents, Alexandra and Alfredo; her sisters Amparo and Miriam; her brother Freddy; her brothers-in-law Lot and Adrian; her sister-in-law Nery; her nieces and nephews, Anthony, Syedi, Shaddai, Nathaniel, Dante, and Nyles; and her many other family members and friends.

A family visitation will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2013, at Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville, NC 28791.

A funeral service will be held at noon Friday, March 8, 2013, at Grace Lutheran Church followed by a committal ceremony.

Condolences may be sent Ana's blog: http://anaoviedo06.blogspot.com.

The family has requested in lieu of flowers that donations be made to Josue's Education Fund. Ana's priority in life was to educate her son and we want to honor her memory by helping her. Please send donations to: Josue's Education Fund, PO BOX 475, Edneyville, NC 28272.

A register book is available online for family and friends by visiting www.thosshepherd.com.

Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements